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The Wild Colonial Boy

Mick Jagger
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Versione di Trevor Lucas dall’album “Overlander” del 1966.

BOLD JACK DONOHUE

Come all you gallant bushrangers that gallop on the plain,
That's going to live in slavery, or wear the convict chain.
Attention pay to what I say, and value it if you do,
I will relate the matchless fate of Bold Jack Donahue.

Bold Donahue was taken all for a notorious crime
And sentenced to be hanged upon the gallows tree so high.
But when they brought him to Bathurst Gaol, he left them in a stew,
For when they came to call the roll, they missed Jack Donahue.

When Donahue made his escape, to the bush he went straight way.
The squatters they were all afraid to travel by night and day
And every day in the newspapers, they brought out something new,
Concerning that bold bushranger they called Jack Donahue.

As he and his companions rode out one afternoon,
Not thinking that the pains of death would overtake him soon,
To their surprise the horse police well on they came in view
And in double quick time they did advance to take Jack Donahue.

“Oh Donahue, Donahue, throw down your carabine.
Or do you intend to fight us all and will you not resign?”
“To surrender to such cowardly dogs is a thing I never would do,
This day I'll fight with all me might”, says Bold Jack Donahue.

“It never shall be said of me that Donahue the brave
Surrendered to a policeman or became an Englishman's slave.
I'd rather roam the bush so wide like a dingo or kangaroo
Than work one day for the government,” says Bold Jack Donahue.

The sergeant and the corporal, they did their men divide,
Some fired at him from behind and some from every side.
The sergeant and the corporal, they both fired at him too
And a rifle bullet pierced the heart of Bold Jack Donahue.

Nine rounds he fired and nine men shot before that fatal ball
That pierced his heart and made him smart and caused him for to fall.
And as he closed his mournful eyes, he bid the world adieu,
Saying, “Convicts all, pray for the soul of Bold Jack Donahue.”

BOLD JACK DONOHUE

Come all you gallant bushrangers who gallop on the plains,
Refuse to live in slavery, or wear the convict chains.
Oh, attention pay to what I say, and value it if you do,
For I will relate the matchless tale of Bold Jack Donahue.

Now Donahue was taken all for a notorious crime
And sentenced to be hanged upon the gallows tree so high.
But when they took him to Bathurst Gaol, he left them in a stew,
For when they came to call the roll, they missed Jack Donahue.

Now when Donahue made his escape, to the bush he went straight way.
The squatters they were all afraid to travel by night and by day
And every day in the newspapers, they brought out something new,
Concerning that bold bushranger that they called Jack Donahue.

One day as he was riding the mountainside alone,
A-listening to the cockaburra as happy laughing scorn,
When all he spied the horse police well on came up into view
And in double quick time they did advance to take Jack Donahue.

“Oh Donahue, oh Donahue, throw down your carabines.
Or do you intend to fight us all and will you not resign?”
“To surrender to such cowardly dogs is a thing that I never would do,
For this day I'll fight with all of me might”, cried Bold Jack Donahue.

Well, the sergeant and the corporal, their men they did divide,
Some fired at him from behind and some from every side.


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