Bushranger Gilbert's Song
(Supplied by G. W. E. H., Moonee Ponds, Victoria.)
Air-"Bonnie Dundee."
To his comrades in council thus Gilbert outspoke:
"Ere rangers go down there are crowns to be broke;
Then each gallant youth that will plunder with me
Let him follow the banners of Gilbert the free.
Chorus.--Come fill up my cup, come fill up my can,
Come saddle my horses and call out my men;
Come load your revolvers and let us go free,
For you've not heard the last of O'Meally and me."
Brave Gilbert is mounted, he rides to the West,
In all that wild country his steed is the best,
From Cooma's fair stables he took him by force,
And Cooma'a gay lords may lament for his loss.
The Weddin has mountains, th' Abercrombie has caves,
While they have traps in the East, in the West they have slaves;
And cockatoo settlers three thousand times three
Cry shares in the booty of Gilbert the free.
"We'll pillage your banks and we'll rob all your stores,
We'll rout your gold escorts and laugh at your laws;
We'll laugh at you all in the midst of our glee,
For you've not heard the last of O'Meally and me."
Notes
From The Queenslander 2 February 1895.
Many thanks to Rob Willis for suggesting this song for Australian Folk Songs collection. See also Dunn, Gilbert and Ben Hall and Dunn Gilbert and Ben Hall (2)in this collection.