Ballad of the Kelly Gang

DESCRIPTION: The singer tells of the large rewards offered for the Kelly Gang, but claims "if the sum were doubled, sure, the Kelly boys would live." The song goes on to describe in great detail the 1878 robbery at Euroa
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1966
KEYWORDS: outlaw Australia robbery fight escape
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
1855 - Birth of Ned Kelly
1880 - Execution of Kelly. His last words are reported to have been "Such is life."
FOUND IN: Australia
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Fahey-Eureka-SongsThatMadeAustralia, pp. 108-111, "The Ballad of the Kelly Gang" (1 text, 1 tune)
Manifold-PenguinAustralianSongbook, pp. 73-75, "The Ballad of Kelly's Gang" (1 text, in two parts; 1 tune)
Paterson/Fahey/Seal-OldBushSongs-CentenaryEdition, pp. 87-91, The Ballad of the Kelly Gang"" (1 text)
Fahey-Joe-Watson-AustralianTraditionalFolkSinger, [p. 4, page headed "THE BALLAD OF THE KELLY GANG."], "The Ballad of the Kelly Gang" (1 text)
DT, KELLBYRN
Roud #22593
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Wearing of the Green (I)" (tune)
cf. "Kelly Was Their Captain" (subject) and notes and references there
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Kellys, Byrne, and Hart
The Kelly Gang
NOTES [146 words]: Lloyd states that the song must have been made up between 1878 (when the robbery took place) and 1880 (when Kelly was hanged). Lloyd's tune for this song is not "The Wearing of the Green," but the Irish tune "Mary from Murroo", sometimes known in Australia as "The Cherry Tree." - PJS
The association with "The Wearing of the Green" is very early, though, as several texts of the song begin with a verse such as
Sure Paddy dear and did you hear the news that's going round?
On the head of bold Ned Kelly they've placed five thousand pound'
For Dan, Steve Hart, and Joey Byrne a thousand each they'll give,
But if the sum was double sure the Kelly boys would live.
Edward "Ned" Kelly and his gang are perhaps the most famous of all Australian bushrangers. For some anecdotes of his life, in addition to the cross-referenced songs, see the notes to "Kelly Was Their Captain." - RBW
Last updated in version 4.5
File: FaE108

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