The Fly Song

It’s time Australia took a stand and really made a fuss.
To choose a national animal that’s truly most like us.
The emu and the kangaroo are on our coat of arms.
But they’re not due this honoured role we overstate their charms.
They’re not the one we see each day and battle to the end.
There’s only one we think of as our most unwanted friend.

It’s the fly. It’s the fly.
It’s the pest that will not rest until it’s shared our beer and pie.
It reminds us what is possible if we all work hard and try.
It’s the littlest Aussie battler. It’s the fly.

It’ with us at each sporting test and streaks around the ground undressed.
Sticking to the best game plan it knows.
And when it goes to country shows.
It’s up the nose if even those we always hope will be most unimpressed.
It shares our love of pets and speed of breeding time and fat and greed.
It keeps its state through constant exercise.
It eats Chinese and figs and peas and dead crustaceans, pigs and cheese.
While we gain weight it keeps its normal size.

Chorus

It eats the treats that we all do before the meal or once passed through.
Nothing that we leave will go to waste.
Sports start priest or refugee it greets each one will equal glee.
Even politicians suit its taste.
Wherever we are it is too from city pew to outback loo.
It mixes with the smartest and the fools.
From downtown dress to sweet success from high court bench to prison stench
Following our smell but not our rules.
Regardless of age, sex or fame it treats each one of us the same.
It has a spirit we can’t tame. It’s the symbol of our freedom.

Chorus

We swat and swipe and swear and spray to keep the ‘fair go’ fly away.
Whole industries survive so it does not.
Like marriage beer and Christmas day our clever foes are here to stay.
Even though we’ve tried to kill the lot.
It rides koalas, cows and roos and wanders free in all our zoos.
Nobody can tell it what to do.
It’s happy with the life we choose it never leaves us when we lose.
It really is a lot like me and you.

Chorus