Ned Kelly

They turned him out of Beechworth jail in 1871

He put in three long years behind those walls

For the stealing of a horse he swore he'd never done

But now he sees his son and turns his back upon it all

Walk softly, cried the magistrate, who'd counted up the score

Walk softly, cried the turnkey as he clanged the iron door

Walk softly, cried his comrades cringing on that prison floor

But the sun is on the meadow

And the wind is in the gum tree

And the Beechworth jail is many miles behind you

In a prison ship in shackles, his father reached this land

He stole one pig and for that crime he paid

Inside a cold dark prison cell he died a broken man

And he left his wife to curse the crown

While his children dug his grave

Speak softly, cried the jailor laying slop upon his plate

Speak softly, cried the turnkey as he opened up the gate

Speak softly, cried his mother, it's been oh so long to wait

But the sun is on the meadow

And the wind is in the gum tree

And the Beechworth jail is many miles behind you

They told him it was over and his song was damn well sung

They told him wild Australia'd have to change

And he'd better watch his temper

And he'd better mind his tongue

For the next time that he walked inside those gates he'd surly hang

Speak boldly, cried his father from the grave in which he lay

Speak boldly, cried his country, there's a trust that's been betrayed

Speak boldly, cried his conscience, there's a debt and it must be paid

But the sun is on the meadow

And the wind is in the gum trees

And the Beechworth jail is many miles behind you