Come all you gallant bushrangers who gallop o’er the plains
Refuse to live in slaveryor wear the convict chains.
Attention pay to what I sayand value if I do
For I will relate the matchless tale of bold jack donahue.
Come all you sons of liberty and everyone besides
I’ll sing to you a story that will fill you with surprise
Concerning of a bold bushrangerjack donahue was his name
And he scorned to humble to the crownbound down with iron chain.
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 gaolhe left them in a stew
For when they came to call the rollthey missed jack donahue.
Now when donahue made his escapeto the bush he went straight way.
The squatters they were all afraid to travel by night and by day
And every day in the newspapersthey brought out something new
Concerning that bold bushranger they called jack donahue.
Now one day as he was riding the mountainside alone
Not thinking that the pains of death would overtake him soon.
When all he spied the horse police well on they came up into view
And in double quick time they did advance to take jack donahue.
«oh donahuedonahuethrow down your carbine.
Or do you intend to fight us all and will you not resign? ’’
«surrender to such cowardly dogs is a thing that I never would do
For this day I’ll fight with all my might’’cried bold jack donahue.
Now the sergeant and the corporaltheir men they did divide
Some fired at him from behind and some from every side.
The sergeant and the corporalthey both fired at himtoo.
And a rifle bullet pierced the heart of bold jack donahue.
Now nine rounds he fired and nine men down before that fated ball
Which pierced his heart and made him smart and caused him for to fall
And as he closed his mournful eyeshe bid the world adieu
Saying «convicts allpray for the soul of bold jack donahue.’’