There's a statue of a donkey
On South Sheilds sea front
He's a decorated donkey
And with him stands a man
And the man's name is Jackie
He has no decorations
Though he was a hero
Down on the sands
On South Sheilds sea front
Jackie sold donkey rides
His favourite was Murphy
And they waited on the tide
To give rides to little children
To flirt with the pretty girls
Then he's joined the Merchany Navy
And he's off to see the world
Oh you sailed the wide world all over, Jackie
'Till you come to Newcastle in New South Wales
You'd had more than enough of stoking coal
Of rolling seas and heavy gales
So you changed your name to plain John Simpson
You jumped ship and you rambled all down on the shore
Shearing, droving, larrikin
And a new recruit for war.
Give a dog a bad name, Jackie
Some things never change
A hundred years are almost gone
Not a medal to your name
Some things never change, Jackie
And perhaps they never will
They give a dog a bad name
But your a hero still.
When I signed up for this army, Murphy
Thought I might catch a troop ship home
Maybe change my name just one more time
And never more to roam
But we didn't sail to England, Murphy
No, we sailed right into hell
Now I am a stretcher bearer
In the bloody Dardanelles.
You know I don't like taking orders, Murphy
That's not the way I am
But now we've got this job to do
And I'll do the best I can.
Oh, you and me are mockers, Murphy
Down here on the sand
I'll whistle and I'll sing my songs
And we'll march to the beat of the band.
Jesus you know I am tired, Murphy
Breakfast wasn't ready today
They said they'd keep my dinner hot
Come on lad, we're on our way
Down to shrapnel gully again
To the land of blood and flesh and bone
We've done it now so many times
You coould damn near fetch them on your own.
Did you hear the machine gun rattle, Jackie?
Did you feel those bullets tearing through?
I pray that peace and quiet and dark
Were the last things you know
You saved 300 wounded men
You and Murphy on your own
And you died to save the very last
And Murphy fetched him back alone.
Give a dog a bad name, Jackie
Some things never change
A hundred years are almost gone
Not a medal to your name
Somethings never change, Jackie
But perhaps they never will.
While the bloodless fools in Whitehall
They sit in judgement still