The Ballad of Ben Hall's Gang
Apr. 18th, 2010 01:28 pmNo idea what I originally got this from, but in the spirit of avoiding the work I should actually be doing, I shall share it
The Ballad of Ben Hall's Gang
Come all ye wild colonials
And listen to my tale;
A story of bushrangers' deeds I will to you unveil.
Tis of those gallant heroes,
Game fighters one and all;
And we'll sit and sing,
Long Live the King,
Dunn,Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
Ben Hall he was a squatter bloke
Who owned a thousand head;
A peaceful man he was until
Arrested by Sir Fred.
His home burned down, his wife cleared out,
His cattle perished all;
"They'll not take me a second time,'
Says valiant Ben Hall.
John Gilbert was a flash cove,
And John O'Meally too;
With Ben and Bourke and Johnny Vane
They all were comrades true.
They rode into Canowindra
And gave a public ball.
'Roll up, roll up, and have a spree,'
Says Gilbert and Ben Hall.
They took possession of the town,
Including the public-houses,
And treated all the cockatoos
And shouted for their spouses.
They danced with all the pretty girls
And held a carnival.
'We don't hurt them who don't hurt us,'
Says Gilbert and Ben Hall.
They made a raid on Bathurst,
The pace was getting hot;
But Johnny Vane surrendered
After Micky Burke was shot,
O'Meally at Goimbla
like a hero fall;
'The game is getting lively,'
Says John Gilbert and Ben Hall.
Then Gilbert took a holiday,
Ben Hall got new recruits;
The Old Man and Dunleavy
Shared in the plunder's fruits.
Dunleavy he surrendered
And they jagged the Old Man tall -
So Johnny Gilbert came again
To help his mate Ben Hall.
John Dunn he was a jockey bloke,
A-riding all the winners,
Until he joined Hall's gang to rob
The publicans and sinners;
And many a time the Royal Mail
Bailed up at John Dunn's call.
A thousand pounds is on their heads -
Dunn, Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
'Next week we'll visit Goulburn
And clean the banks out there;
So if you see the troopers,
Just tell them to beware;
Some day to Sydney city
We mean to pay a call,
And we'll take the whole damn country,'
Says Dunn, Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
The Ballad of Ben Hall's Gang
Come all ye wild colonials
And listen to my tale;
A story of bushrangers' deeds I will to you unveil.
Tis of those gallant heroes,
Game fighters one and all;
And we'll sit and sing,
Long Live the King,
Dunn,Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
Ben Hall he was a squatter bloke
Who owned a thousand head;
A peaceful man he was until
Arrested by Sir Fred.
His home burned down, his wife cleared out,
His cattle perished all;
"They'll not take me a second time,'
Says valiant Ben Hall.
John Gilbert was a flash cove,
And John O'Meally too;
With Ben and Bourke and Johnny Vane
They all were comrades true.
They rode into Canowindra
And gave a public ball.
'Roll up, roll up, and have a spree,'
Says Gilbert and Ben Hall.
They took possession of the town,
Including the public-houses,
And treated all the cockatoos
And shouted for their spouses.
They danced with all the pretty girls
And held a carnival.
'We don't hurt them who don't hurt us,'
Says Gilbert and Ben Hall.
They made a raid on Bathurst,
The pace was getting hot;
But Johnny Vane surrendered
After Micky Burke was shot,
O'Meally at Goimbla
like a hero fall;
'The game is getting lively,'
Says John Gilbert and Ben Hall.
Then Gilbert took a holiday,
Ben Hall got new recruits;
The Old Man and Dunleavy
Shared in the plunder's fruits.
Dunleavy he surrendered
And they jagged the Old Man tall -
So Johnny Gilbert came again
To help his mate Ben Hall.
John Dunn he was a jockey bloke,
A-riding all the winners,
Until he joined Hall's gang to rob
The publicans and sinners;
And many a time the Royal Mail
Bailed up at John Dunn's call.
A thousand pounds is on their heads -
Dunn, Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
'Next week we'll visit Goulburn
And clean the banks out there;
So if you see the troopers,
Just tell them to beware;
Some day to Sydney city
We mean to pay a call,
And we'll take the whole damn country,'
Says Dunn, Gilbert, and Ben Hall.
