there's several versions of this, Irish, American, Australian; and like all true folk songs, there's also about a million verses...handy for those all-night sing-alongs!
There was a Wild Colonial Boy, Jack Doogan 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
The pride of both his parents was that wild colonial boy.
Chorus:
Come along me hearties , we'll roam the mountainside
Together we will plunder and together we will ride
We'll scour along the valleys and gallop o'er the plains,
We'll scorn to live in slavery, bowedd down in iron chains.
At the early age of sixteen years , heleft his ancient home,
And to Australia's sunny shores he was inclined to roam
He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot Judge MacElvoy
A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy [chorus]
One mornin' on the prarie, as Jackie road along
A'listening to the mockingbirds singing their cheerful song
Up came a band of troopers - Kelly, Davis, and Fitzroy
All set out to capture him, the wild colonial boy [chorus]
"Surrender now! Jack Doolan, you see it's three to one;
Surrender in the Queen's own name, for you are a plunderin' son!"
Jack drew a pistol from his belt and spun it like toy,
"I'll fight, but not surrender," cried the Wild Colonial Boy [chorus]
He fired at trooper Kelly and brought him to the ground,
And in return from Davis received a mortal wound,
All shattered through the jaws, he lay still firing at Fitzroy.
And that was how they captured him, the Wild Colonial Boy [chorus]
Lead Vocal: Linda King
Backup Vocals: Sean Morse
Bass: Sean Morse