Paper Maps & Station Wagons

[Intro] Yeah… back when a fishin’ trip Was half the work before you left [Verse 1] Who would’ve thought That fishing took such thought Back in our day it surely did With planning and scheming Not easily hid Maps, bait, lines and lures and hooks Ice and lanterns, more than it looks Primus, waffle irons, tripod, shovel Marquee tents and trailer trouble [Verse 2] Mum and the kids on that old bus ride Into the city, side by side Then the long walk in midday heat Across Grey Street on tired little feet To South Brisbane-we’d make our way Can’t quite recall that place today But I remember those maps so clear Rolled out wide like treasure near Every river, road and line Marked out plain for a trip just fine [Verse 3] Don’t get me started on those eskies Squeaky styrofoam, noisy and pesky In the back of that station wagon First hundred k’s, I’d fight that squeakin’ Stuffin’ that noise with all my might Just to keep the peace on that long drive right [Verse 4] Then there was ash from a cigarette Flicked out the window-no regret Only to come straight back again And hit the poor fella in the back seat then No air flow in those days at all Four windows down, hear the highway call Hair blowin’ wild, sun burnin’ through That was just what you’d do [CHORUS] Yeah it took some thought, more than you’d believe Not just throw a line and leave Miles and maps and time well spent Every trip had its own way No fuss, no rush, just sky so wide All of us packed in for the ride Yeah fishing back then wasn’t just a plan It was a whole life in a station wagon [Outro] So we’d trace that road with a finger slow… And say... “That’s the place… that’s where we’ll go…”