Streets of Forbes

Infobox Single
Name = Streets of Forbes


Cover size =
Caption = 7" single cover
Artist = Weddings Parties Anything
Album = The Big Don't Argue
A-side = "Streets of Forbes"
B-side = "Missing in Action"
Released = 1989
Format = 7" vinyl
Recorded =
Genre = Folk rock
Length =
Label = WEA
Writer = traditional
Producer = Jim Dickinson
Certification =
Last single = "Darlin' Please"
(1989)
This single = "Streets of Forbes"
(1986)
Next single = "The Wind and the Rain"
(1989)
Misc =

"Streets of Forbes" is an Australian folksong about the death of bushranger Ben Hall. The song is one of the most well known elements of the Australian folk repertoire. It has been recorded by many folk and popular artists and groups including The Bushwhackers, Gary Shearston and Weddings Parties Anything. [cite web| url=http://musicmoz.org/Bands_and_Artists/W/Weddings,_Parties,_Anything/ |title=Weddings Parties Anything discography|publisher=Musicmoz|accessdate=2008-10-02] Paul Kelly made his public debut singing the Australian folk song 'Streets Of Forbes' to a Hobart audience in 1974. [cite web |url=http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/kellypaul/kellypaul.htm |title=Paul Kelly |publisher=Howlspace |editor=Ed Nimmervoll |accessdate=2008-08-18 ] [cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/culture/song-lines/2007/06/04/1180809383262.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2 |title=Song lines|publisher="The Sydney Morning Herald"|last=Horsburgh |first=Susan |date=2007-06-04|accessdate=2008-08-17] "The Streets of Forbes" is usually listed as traditional or anonymous, but Gary Shearston writes that "there are reasons for thinking John McGuire, (Ben Hall's brother in law), may well have been the original author". [cite web|url=http://www.garyshearston.com/html/onlylove_songnotes.html |title=Only Love Survives|publisher=Gary Shearston|accessdate=2008-10-02] [cite web| url=http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.html?cart=343188396325535980&target=smp_detail.html%26sku%3DBL.BMC042&s=pages-http%253A//www.google.com.au/search%253Fhl%253Den%2526q%253D%252522streets%252Bof%252Bforbes%252522%252BJohn%252BMcGuire%252B%2526btnG%253DSearch%2526meta%253D&e=/sheetmusic/detail/BL.BMC042.html&t=&k=&r=wwws-err5|title=Streets of Forbes|publisher=Sheet music plus|accessdate=2008-10-02] [cite web | url=http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/benhall/ | title=Ben Hall and the outlawed bushrangers| publisher=Department of Water, Heritage and the Arts| accessdate=2008-10-02]

Lyrics

:Come all you Lachlan men and a sorrowful tale I'll tell,:The story of a decent man who through misfortune fell,:His name it was Ben Hall, a man of high renown,:Who was hunted from his station, and like a dog shot down.

:Three years he roamed the roads, and he showed the traps [cite web|url=http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Grose-VulgarTongue/t/traps.html |title="Traps" - Grose 1811 Dictionary|publisher=From Old Books|accessdate=2008-10-02] some fun,:One thousand pounds was on his head, with Gilbert and John Dunn.:Ben parted from his comrades, the outlaws did agree,:To give away bushranging and to cross the briny sea.

:Ben went to Goobang Creek, and that was his downfall:For riddled like a sieve was the valiant Ben Hall,:'Twas early in the morning upon the fifth of May:That the seven police surrounded him as fast asleep they lay.

:Bill Dargin he was chosen to shoot the outlaw dead,:The troopers then fired madly and they filled him full of lead,:They rolled him in his blanket and strapped him to his prad, [cite web|url=http://www.fromoldbooks.org/Grose-VulgarTongue/p/prad.html |title="Prad" - Grose 1811 Dictionary|publisher=From Old Books|accessdate=2008-10-02] :And they led him through the streets of Forbes, to show the prize they had.

References