Lonigan's Widow

Shel Silverstein




Now four jolly troopers from Mansfield town
Set out to hunt the Kelly boys down
They searched through the wombat for most of the week
And they camped on the banks of the Stringybark Creek

cho: But Lonnigan's widow, she's singin' no songs
She walks these red hills and cries all night long
They say that Ned Kelly ain't never done wrong
But tell that to Lonnigan's widow

Early that mornin' 'midst laughter and shoutin'
Kennedy and Scanlon they rode off a scoutin'
Left McIntyre to cook up the grub
While Lonnigan sang at the old washin' tub

They were cleanin' the camp and brewin' up tea
When up jumped Ned Kelly with his comrades three
A shout and a cry and a crack of a gun
Lonnigan staggers and Lonnigan's done

He's crawlin' he's cryin' he's clawin' the ground
His voice makes a pleading and pitiful sound
Of the way that he's dyin' nobody will speak
When thy tell of the glories of Stringybark Creek

So sing of Ned Kelly that lad of renown
The pride of Australia the scourge of the Crown
Sing of his bravery and God bless his head
And bury the truth as you bury the dead



A rare example of a song about Ned Kelly that paints him in a poor light.

Written by Silverstein for the 1970 movie "Ned Kelly" starring Mick Jagger. Sung on the soundtrack album by Waylon Jennings.