Digital Tradition Mirror

Streets of Forbes

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Streets of Forbes

Come all of you Lochlan men and a terrible tale I'll tell
Concerning of a bushranger who in misfortune fell
His name it was Ben Hall, a man of high renown
He was hunted from a station and like a dog shot down

Three years he roamed the roads and he showed the traps some fun
A thousand pounds was on his head with Gilbert and John Dunn
Then parted from his comrades, the outlaw did agree
To give away bushranging and to cross the raging sea

Ben went to Gilbank Creek and that was his downfall
Oh riddled like a sill was valiant Ben Hall
It was early in the morning upon the fifth of May
That the Severn Police surrounded him as in his sleep he lay

Bill Duggan he was chosen to shoot the outlaw dead
The others fired madly as if they were afraid
Then rolled him in his blanket and they tied him to his prop
And they dragged him through the streets of Forbes to show the prize
        they had.

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recorded by Trevor Lucas on A.L.Lloyd's "Great Australian Legend" (1971)
and by June Tabor on "Ashes And Diamonds" (1977)
This Australian outlaw ballad is based on a true story and was allegedly
written by the outlaw's brother.
see also "Bold Jack Donahue" and "Wild Colonial Boy". MJ
tune supplied by MG

MJ

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!