DEREK BENTLEY
As recorded by Ewan MacColl on “Chorus from the Gallows,” 1960.

It's of a great adventure, to you that I will tell,
Of how they hanged a half-grown lad and how it all befell.

CHORUS: It was guns and comics, films of war that made his education.

Young Craig and Derek Bentley, they went out in the night,
With gun and knuckleduster just for to see them right. CHORUS

They climbed upon the roof so high and then looked all around
And there they saw the men of law all gathered on the ground. CHORUS

"Look out, we're caught" young Bentley cried, "our robbin' days are done"
"I'll see no prison" Craig replied, "while I've still got my gun". CHORUS

He stood upon the roof so high and he looked all around
And shouted to them, men of law, all gathered on the ground. CHORUS

"Stay down and stay alive" he cried, "keep clear of me" he said.
"Come up that stair another step and you'll go down it dead". CHORUS

He was just a half-grown frightened lad who couldn't read or write,
But standing there with gun in hand he terrorised the night. CHORUS

The men came up to take him down, he pressed the trigger tight,
He shot the first one dead and then jumped down into the night. CHORUS

Young Craig he was a killer, for he shot the p'liceman dead,
But he was just too young to hang, the magistrates they said. CHORUS

At nine o'clock one Wednesday, they took young Bentley out,
And made a noose of hempen rope and put it round his throat. CHORUS

It's true as you have often heard, that in this land today,
They hang the little criminals and let the big go free. CHORUS


Notes: On 28th January Derek Bentley was hanged for his part in the murder of police constable Sidney Miles during an attempted robbery. Derek Bentley whose accomplice Christopher Craig shot and killed PC Miles was granted a pardon by the court of appeal on 30th July 1998. At the time of the trial, Craig had been under 18 and therefore too young to be hanged.
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