(The) Oldest Story in the Book - Paul Kelly

Tom and Harry were the best of friends

They called themselves The Dharma Bums

Lit out from their home and kin

With a mandolin and a pair of thumbs

Worked side by side all that summer

Picking those grapes from the vine

Read by one light, took turns to cook

The oldest story in the book

Enter Richard and his sister, June

Just before the season’s end

Richard’s guitar knows a whole lotta tunes

Harry starts a-picking on the mandolin

Down by the dam in the moonlight

They play 'til their fingers get sore

When June kisses Tom, Harry doesn’t know where to look

The oldest story in the book

The band pull into town in the afternoon

They’ve got a hit song on the radio

Richard calls up his sister, June

And says 'Do you want to come along to the show?'

June scrapes the money together for a babysitter

Tom’s working late, she’s glad she’s on her own

Especially when Harry sings that song about the girl

By the lake and how the moonlight looked

The oldest story in the book