Kelly's Byrne and Hart
It was in November, seventy-eight, when the Kelly Gang came down
Just after shooting Kennedy in famed Euroa town
Blood horses they were all
upon, revolvers in their hand
They took the township by surprise, and gold
was their demand
Ned Kelly walked into the bank, a cheque all in his
hand
For to have it changed for money, now of Scott he did demand
And
when that he refused him, he looking at him straight
Said, "See here, my
name's Ned Kelly, and this here man's my mate"
They rode into Jerilderie
town at twelve o'clock at night
Aroused the troopers from their beds and gave
them an awful fright
They took them in their nightshirts, ashamed I am to
tell
They covered them with revolvers and locked them in a cell
They
next acquainted the women-folk that they were going to stay
And take possession
of the camp until the following day
They fed their horses in the stalls, without
the slightest fear
Then went to rest their weary limbs till daylight did appear
Next morning being Sunday morn, of course they must be good
They dressed
themselves in troopers' clothes, and Ned he chopped some wood
Now no-one there
suspected them, as troopers they did pass
And Dan, the most religious, took
the troopers wife to Mass
They spent the day most pleasantly, had plenty
of good cheer
With fried beef steak and onions, tomato sauce and beer
The ladies in attendance indulged in pleasant talk
And just to ease the troopers'
minds, they took them for a walk
It was when they robbed Euroa bank you
said they'd be run down
But now they've robbed another one that's in Jerilderie
town
That's in Jerilderie town, my boys, and we're here to take their part
And shout again "Long may they reign - the Kellys, Byrne and Hart"
As high above the mountains so beautiful and grand
Our young Australian heroes
in bold defiance stand
In bold defiance stand, my boys, the heroes of today
So let us stand together boys, and shout again, "Hurray"
Notes
Tune 'The Wearing of the Green' this song is also known as 'The Kelly Gang', also
in this collection. Ned Kelly has entered Australian culture in a number of ways.
He was the subject of one of Australia's first films and Sydney Nolan's series
of paintings reveal the power of his legend. The saying 'Game as Ned Kelly' has
entered the language and as recently as 1993 a popular film continues the tribute
to his name.
There are a number of Kelly web sites but this is the finest
I've discovered:
Edward 'Ned' Kelly