The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw Songtext
von The Whitlams

Sunrise on the station breaks the morning′s spell
Red and green streamers flyin' outside the Railway View Hotel
Cleveland St shuffles shinin′ into the mighty roar
We were walkin' through the twilight the day John Sattler broke his jaw

Livin' eight to a house, post Menzies′ Land of Plenty
But there was nothin′ left for people like us in September 1970
Some worked the Eveleigh railway yards, some worked the tanneries on the Botany shore
We didn't work the Saturday that John Sattler broke his jaw


If it′s high enough, if it's long enough, if it′s straight between the posts
Drink your beer and shed no tears for these days you miss the most
Every step and sill sat shinin' in Black-It from door to door
And the tears rolled down like Reschs the day John Sattler broke his jaw

Saturday morning on the Botany Road was mean and it was lean
Rabbit killers in old Ford Falcons stallin′ through a richer man's dream
By afternoon we were jammed tight inside the hotel doors
Even the T.A.B. was empty the day John Sattler broke his jaw


Now in the Ladies Lounge a young girl rocks a pram
An old guy downs a Flag Ale with the ghost of Dave Sands
Clothes lines are flyin' high, the sun is sinkin′ behind the flats
As stoned girls walk in circles with their babies on their backs
As big trucks roll down wide streets with heroin filled storm drains
Suburban towns they turn blue and brown, use old wars for their street names
They took you down to Campbelltown to Mount Druitt and St Marys
Young Labor sits stoned in a terrace house, the Sydney Swans on Pay tv