The Wall Of The Dam – Andy Gordon – 23 August 2005 (5’56”)
(capo 5th fret – C G F - Waltz)

My parents taught me not to talk to strangers
to be courteous, polite and not lie.
“ don’t settle for straight son, don’t shoot for the middle,
but aim as high as you can”.

So I put it to practise and over the years
I’d have to say most of it’s worked.
But it brings me down though and maybe it’s my failing,
I’ve found you can’t trust everyone.

Where’s the truth in what they are saying to us.
Where’s the facts, what’s the deal, where’s the plan.
So can anyone here please tell me why
they’re raising the wall of the dam.

(harp break)
Is it simply short-sightedness? cos it’s quite forgiveable.
Is it laziness, selfishness, what?
Could the powers that be just come out and say it,
this wasting of water must stop.

We need to recycle, it’s quite unforgivable
to flush good water down the loo.
Put a tank in and catch it, it’s totally yours then
you can do with it whatever you do.

chorus

(harp break)
We can’t sit around just waiting to run out
but the answer doesn’t lie in this plan.
And they cannot be serious about desalination
it’s a net energy loss man.

Seriously now, all light-heartedness aside
we can’t sit around and just wait.
There’s been so many stupid plans hatched up for this area.
We’ve got to keep asking them why.

chorus

(harp break)
When we’ve killed off the river can you take these things down again
and will it all be like brand new?
Will the fish all come back again? Will it be alright to swim in?
Will it be there for our children’s kids too?

When you’re treading a path and you don’t know what’s up ahead
do you rush forward blindly and fall?
Or do you stop and think seriously of long-term sustainability
let’s give this dam plan the chop

chorus

This place was where the first wilderness area
was established in 1934.
It was Myles Dunphy and the beauty of the Ettrema
that made it stand out from the crowd.

Now what legacy will we leave for the future
Will it be two dead rivers and creeks
Just to quench the insatiable, totally unsustainable,
thirst of the city of sin.

Where’s the truth in what they are saying to us.
Where’s the facts, what’s the deal, where’s the plan.
So can anyone here, or up in Macquarie Street,
dressed up in a suit real neat, well flossed with the whitest teeth
and concrete beneath their feet, cos I’ve got this drum to beat
don’t raise the wall on the dam.

don’t raise the wall on Tallowa dam.

(harp break)
end

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