Poor Ned Lyrics - Redgum Anthology 1976-1986 - Redgum

Eighteen-hundred & 78 was the year I remeber so well 

they put my father in an early grave and slung my mother in gaol 

now I don't know whats right or wrong 

but they hung Christ on nails 

6 kids at home & 2 still on the breast 

they wouldn't even give her bail 

( CHORUS: 

Poor Ned, you're better off dead 

at least you'll get some peace of mind 

you're out on the track 

they're right on your back 

boy they're gonna hang you high ) 

You know I wrote a letter 'bout Stringy-Bark Creek 

so they would understand 

that I might be a bushranger 

but I'm not a murdering man 

I didn't want to shoot Kennedy 

or that copper Lonnigan 

he alone could have saved his life 

by throwing down his gun 

CHORUS 

You know they took Ned Kelly 

& they hung him in the Melbourne gaol 

he fought so very bravely 

dressed in iron mail 

& no man single handed 

can hope to break the bars 

there's a thousand like Ned Kelly 

who'll hoist the flag of stars 

we sing...CHORUS