Where is my Bonny Boy Tonight?

Words and Music Graham Seal copyright 2018
(For Winnie Sullivan)

Australia's favourite boxer before World War 1, Les Darcy was engaged to Winnie Sullivan before he controversially left for America, where he died of blood poisoning as a result of a fight injury he sustained back in Australia. It wasn't 'the Yanks', but popular myth in Australia claimed it was. Winnie got to his deathbed in Memphis just before he died. She later married and had children, but never spoke of Les again. When she died, they found the ring Les had given her among her treasured possessions. 


Chorus
D                     G                      D
Where is my bonny boy tonight?
D                                              A
Where is my bonny boy tonight?
D                                               G                   D
I’d give anything to see him fight in that ring
D                     G                      D
Where is my bonny boy tonight?

He’s on the rolling sea
He’s on the rolling sea
He had to stow away to the USA
He’s on the rolling sea

Chorus

He’s in Memphis, Tennessee
He’s in Memphis, Tennessee
If he doesn’t win that purse he’ll be forever cursed
He’s in Memphis, Tennessee

Chorus

He’s in the cold, cold ground
He’s in the cold, cold ground
They couldn’t let him win so those Yankees did him in
He’s in the cold, cold ground

Final verse:
Where is my bonny boy tonight?
Where is my bonny boy tonight?
D                                                           G                        D
Les Darcy’s dead and gone and his legend’s living on
        F#m               G                     D
But where is my bonny boy tonight?

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