Dennis Won’t Slow Down

Dennis Won’t Slow Down Verse 1 Out where the wheat trains rolled through town Kids on horses kicking dust around Young Dennis pumping down the line Railway jigger and a grin that shined Born with polio, skinny little frame But quitting life was never in the game If the road got rough he'd laugh out loud “Mate, I’ll figure something out.” Chorus Dennis won’t slow down Not for fate, not for time Wild white hair in the wind And a stubborn kind of mind From the bush to Sydney town Hear that scooter’s roaring sound Call him crazy, call him brilliant Dennis won’t slow down Verse 2 Seventeen riding northern land Fixing fences with a wire in hand Two horses, one dog, miles of sky Dingos howling as the days rolled by Truck came once a week with bread Water drums and a place for bed Forty degrees and the desert sun That’s where the story begun Chorus Dennis won’t slow down Not for fate, not for time Wild white hair in the wind And a stubborn kind of mind From the outback dust To the city underground Nothing in this world Can slow Dennis down Verse 3 Then came tanks in Vietnam rain Steel and thunder through the jungle plain Six big machines under his command Young sergeant with a steady hand Three long tours and he made it home To a country that left him alone Dennis just shrugged with a crooked grin “Right… what’s next then?” Chorus Dennis won’t slow down Not for fate, not for time Wild white hair in the wind And a stubborn kind of mind From the Mekong mud To the harbour shining brown Nothing in this world Can slow Dennis down Verse 4 Printing presses night and day Worked his way up the hard-earned way Ran the whole show, retired at fifty But sitting still just didn’t fit him Philippines sun, he met sweet Joy Little Louise became his pride and joy Life kept rolling loud and proud Just the way Dennis likes it now Bridge Christmas Eve in a hospital gown Doctor says “Dennis, you stay lying down.” He says “Mate… I just need a smoke.” Scooter roaring down the corridor floor Nearly knocks a nurse through the lift door Across the highway in a dressing gown Bought his smokes and sat right down Two quick puffs and a rebel grin Chris just shaking his head at him Final Chorus Dennis won’t slow down Not for fate, not for time One tough life behind him And a spark still in his eyes Hear that scooter flying All across the town Call him legend, call him Dennis But he won’t slow down