They called him Camel Boy
But he was a man
He walked behind us ...with a billy
He tended the campfire ... and he made the tea
Drowned in the colours ... we didn't see
And the ghost gums stand ... gleaming white
Showed him a paint brush ... he showed us the light
I apologise ... for the condescension
Paid no attention to the pain of the Camel Boy
It's Namatjira ... he became the one
We remember ... all alone
Under a huge sky ... with a gentle hand
Painted the pictures ... of an ancient land
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/john+williamson/the+camel+boy_20729052.html ]
What fools we were ... what did we mean
Dressed in white ... to meet the queen
Take down her picture ... hang up a ghost gum
Put up a landscape... by the Camel Boy
'Cause her majesty... was in his eye
The 'sleeping lubra', the Aranda sky
I apologise...for the condescension
Paid no attention to the pain of the Camel Boy
And the ghost gums stand ... gleaming white
Showed him a paint brush ... he showed us the light
Drowned in the colours ... we didn't see
What a man was he ... Albert the Camel Boy
Albert the Camel Boy
Namatjira the Camel Boy