whenever i first came out to australia

i brought two pairs of dms

and three pairs of jeans

a ticket to australia

with a head full of dreams

and there was tears at the airport

and i wrote a letter on the way

and i stopped off in singapore

but only for a day



but i

never meant to stay no

it was only meant to be for

for a holiday

oh but i've

i've overstayed now

and i pray now

for an amnesty



the plane landed in at botany

on a day that was very hot

and this time the irish had invaded the place

without having to fire a shot

and i went to the hotel bondi if you know it

and bought a schooner of new

and sitting drinking it in the sun

that's when i knew



but i

never meant to stay no

it was only meant to be for

for a holiday

oh but i

i've overstayed now

and i pray now

for an amnesty



two hundred years ago they were

shippin' us out

nineteen eighty-eight they were

flyin' us back

there's no guards or chains

a-keepin' me here

but if they caught me

they'd probably send me back



but i

never meant to stay no

was only meant to be for

for a holiday

oh but i

i've overstayed now

and i pray now

for an amnesty



i had a backpack

but i just ended up gettin' a job

i never got round to travelling

i just hit the grog

then i moved to the suburbs

and i got married, with a kid

i've got rms instead of dms now

the jeans no longer fit



but i

never meant to stay no

was only meant to be for

for a holiday

oh but i

i've overstayed now

and i pray now

for an amnesty