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THE DEATH OF BEN HALL

(Trad.)

Come all Australia's son to me, a hero has been slain
Murdered by cowards in his sleep along the Lochlan Plain

So do not stay your manly grief, but let the tear drops fall
For all Australia mourns today the death of brave Ben Hall

He never robbed a needy man as all his records show
But staunch and loyal to his mates and mainly to the foe

No mark of Cain was on his brow, no widow's curse did fall
Only the robbing rich man feared the coming of Ben Hall

For ever since the good old days of Turpin and Duval
The poor men's friends were Outlaws then, and so was brave Ben Hall

But savagely they murdered him, those cowardely blue-coat imps
Led to where he lay asleep by sneaking Peelers Pimps

So do not stay your manly grief, but let the tear drops fall
For all Australia mourns today the fate of brave Ben Hall

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Sung by Eric Bogle on 'Down Under' (1981)

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Submitted by EB

Background: an Australian tradtional song. Ben Hall was the Australian Bush Ranger, and with some cause. Most Australian Bushrangers have become admired folk-heroes, but most of them were very rough customers indeed, who didn't hesitate to steal from anybody, no matter how poor! There is evidence to show that Ben Hall who was forced into Bush-Ranging by crooked police, actually never robbed a poor man. He was held in great regard by the people of the time, the poor people anyway. It is generally agreed by present day historians, that he was a victim of the oppression from the forces of law and order. Eric Bogle.