John Edmond - Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe

Billy came from a little town near the ruins of Zimbabwe
Opening patch in a cricket match against the B.H.P.C.C
Billy's nickname was "Zimbabwe" and as he was padding up;
They said "You gotta face Ragin' Raymond from the bush happy bastard's cricket club."

Billy walked onto the pitch in the blistering African heat
When he saw big Raging Raymond he was shivering at the crease
Then suddenly there came a voice, out of his hometown crowd
It said "Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe!", Billy heard it clear and loud

Oh, Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, back on a pile of sticks

Big Ray had a beard like a bolded pierce, was nigh on 7 feet tall;
And when he closed his mighty fist you couldn't even see the ball
They say that the run up for a baseman from the boundary's pretty far
Ragin' Raymond took his run up all the way from the clubhouse cocktail bar

The tales of victory, speed, and line were honest and no lies
To say he killed a lion with a half grip between the eyes
Then suddenly another voice came out of the hometown crowd
It said "Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe!", Billy heard it clear and loud

Oh, Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, back on a pile of sticks

The first ball hit Billy's shoulder, the second one hit his heart
And the third one came in lower and it tore his box apart
And the fourth one came in higher and knicked on the chin
Oh, the fifth one ticked him on the ear, by now Billy's eye was in

And the sixth one fell but below, Billy hit it out of the grounds
And though they searched the whole damn town, the ball was never found
And suddenly there came a voice out of the hometown crowd
"Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe" Ray heard it clear and loud

Oh, Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, back on a pile of sticks

Billy never ever dreamed that there would come the day
His sons would both be cricketers and for their land would play
A tiny little country, out there were the best
Playing the World Cup tournaments out there in the final test

Then someone wrote a sign board for all the world to see
He held it high, that hometown guy and it was on TV!
They never faltered at the crease against the Aussies at large
They put Billy in the hometown crowd that wrote these little words

Oh, Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, back on a pile of sticks

Oh, Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
(And another one!)
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
(And another one!)
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, Chia Lo Six
(And another one!)
Chia Lo Six Zimbabwe, back on a pile of sticks

John Edmond, is a folk singer who became popular in the late 1960’s-1970’s for his Rhodesian patriotic songs.