Ludowa australijska - The Wild Colonial Boy

1. There was a Wild Colonial Boy,
Jack Doolan was his name,
Of poor but honest parents
He was born in Castlemaine.
He was his father's only hope,
His mother's pride and joy
And dearly did his parents love
The wild colonial boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

2. At the age of sixteen years
He started out to roam,
Stowed away and reached Australia
Which he chose to make his home.
They put him in an iron gang
In the government employ,
But never an iron on earth could hold
The wild colonial boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

3. Forsaking means of honest toil
To earn his daily bread
There on Australia's sunny shores,
A bushranger life he led.
To help the poor, he robbed the rich,
A pistol was his toy,
With which he slew a man or two,
The wild colonial boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

4. In sixty-one this daring youth
Commenced his wild career,
With a heart that knew no danger
And no foeman did he fear.
He stuck up the Beechworth mail coach
And robbed Judge MacEvoy
Who, trembling cold, gave up his gold
To the wild colonial boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

5. He bade the judge good morning
And he told him to beware,
That he'd never rob a needy man
Or one who acted square,
But a judge who'd rob a mother
Of her one and only joy
Sure, he must be a worse outlaw than
The wild colonial Boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

6. One day as Jack was riding
The mountain side along,
A-listening to the little birds,
Their happy laughing song.
Three mounted troopers came along,
Kelly, Davis and Fitzroy
With a warrant for the capture of
The wild colonial Boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

7. "Surrender now! Jack Doolan,
For you see it's three to one;
Surrender in the Queen's own name,
For the plund'ring deeds you've done!"
Jack drew a pistol from his side
And waved it like toy,
"I'll fight, but not surrender, cried
The Wild Colonial Boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

8. He quickly turned to Davis,
And shot him through the thigh,
Then he took aim for Kelly's brain,
But missed the lucky guy.
The shot returned by Davis did
Not bring Jack any joy.
All shattered through the jaw he lay
The Wild Colonial Boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.

9. He fired at trooper Kelly
And brought him to the ground,
And in return from Davis
Received a mortal wound,
His proud young heart was torn apart
Still firing at Fitzroy.
And that's the way they captured him,
The Wild Colonial Boy.

[Chorus:]
So come away me hearties
We'll roam the mountains high,
Together we will plunder
And together we will die.
We'll scour along the valleys
And we'll gallop o'er the plains,
And scorn to live in slavery,
Bound down by iron chains.