Wild Colonial Boy (2)
About the Wild Colonial Boy Jack Dowling was his name
Of poor but honest parents was born in Castlemaine
He was his father's favourite
and his mother's only joy
And dearly did they always love the Wild Colonial
Boy
Chorus
So come along my hearties we'll roam the mountain side
Together we will plunder together we will ride
We'll ride over hills and mountains
and gallop over the plains
For we scorn to die in slavery bound down by iron
chains
He was scarcely sixteen years of age when he left his father's
home
And through Australia's sunny climes the bushranger did roam
He robbed
those loyal squatters and their flocks he did destroy
And a terror to Australia
was the Wild Colonial Boy
Oh Jack strolled out one morning and he softly
rode along
Listening to the mocking bird their merry laughing song
Up
rode three mounted troopers Davis Kelly and Fitzroy
And of course rode up
to capture the Wild Colonial Boy
"Surrender now Jack Dowling you see
there's three to one
Surrender in the Queen's name you outlaw plundering son"
Jack drew a pistol from his belt and he flashed the little toy
"I'll fight
but not surrender" cried the Wild Colonial Boy
Now he fired at trooper
Kelly and he brought him to the ground
And in return from Davis he received
a dreadful wound
With one leg in the saddle still firing at Fitzroy
Now
that's the way they captured the Wild Colonial Boy
Notes
This version from Simon McDonald of Creswick, Vic. Simon McDonald began his musical life playing tin whistle in his father's dance band at the age of seven. His repetoire of songs included a number of Australian songs as well as a large number of Anglo-Irish ballads and dance tunes both traditional and popular.
Searchable archives of Irish transports are now available on at The National Archives of Ireland