The Ballad Of Jack Reilly Lyrics And Guitar Chords

Written by Johnny McEvoy with chords by Marc. Capo 1st fret. I have no background info. on the song but I guess it's based on real events.

His [G]hair was red, his eyes were blue, his [D]age was eighteen [Em]years[C]
And [G]as they sailed a[C]round Cape Horn his [G]eyes filled [C]up with [D]tears
For he [G]knew he’d never see his home or [D]native land a[Em]gain[C]
And the [G]captain said Jack [C]Reilly you will [D]die a convict [G]man –G-G-C
With [D]prison chains around his wrists that [C]cut him to the [G]bone
The [D]captain said ‘Jack Reilly, son, your [C]very soul I’ll [G]own
I’ll bend and twist it to my will - for [D]death you’ll surely [Em]pray[C]
But I’ll [G]see you live to [C]end your days in [D]chains in Botany [G]Bay –G-G-C

With [G]quiet words Jack Reilly swore ‘The [D]day will surely [Em]come[C]
When [G]I will slip these [C]prison chains and [G]justice [C]will be [D]done’
For [G]three long weeks he took no bred, just [D]water from the [Em]can[C]
And [G]all his comrades a[C]round him swore he [D]was the dying [G]man –G-G-C
Un[D]til one night he slipped his chains and [C]out of the door he [G]ran
He [D]grabbed a pistol from the guard and [C]up the deck he [G]sprang
‘My name it is Jack Reilly and from [D]Ireland I do [Em]come[C]
And [G]neither man nor [C]master has the [D]right to tie me [G]down!’ –G-G-C

Up [G]to the captain’s door he went - no [D]fear could slow him [Em]down[C]
For [G]he would show no [C]mercy to the [G]servant [C]of the [D]crown
The [G]captain stepped out on the deck with [D]cutlass in his [Em]hand[C]
‘Sur[G]render or I’ll [C]run you trough and [D]drop where you [G]stand!’ –G-G-C
The [D]crew looked on in silence then and [C]ne’er a murmur [G]made
For [D]they were tired and hungry men and [C]not a word was [G]said
Jack Reilly raised the pistol high, the [D]captain made a [Em]frown[C]
And [G]with a single [C]pistol shot he [D]brought the captain [G]down –G-G-C

The [G]crew they said ‘Jack Reilly, mate, we’ll [D]lower you o’er the [Em]side[C]
In[G]to the longboat [C]you must go and [G]bid this [C]ship good[D]bye
For [G]there’s a man-o-war about -  they’ll [D]catch you if they [Em]can[C]
And [G]from the yard down, [C]Jack me boy, your [D]body they will [G]hang’ –G-G-C
And [D]so he turned the longboat round and [C]to the rising [G]sun
Five [D]lonely days and nights he rowed till [C]he was nearly [G]done
Then he heard the sound of breaking waves on [D]free Australian [Em]sand[C]
And [G]jumping from the [C]longboat up on[D]to the beach he [G]swam –G-G-C

Through [G]New South Wales he made his way be[D]neath the burning [Em]sun[C]
And [G]’cross the Murray [C]River when a [G]month was [C]barely [D]gone
T’was [G]there he met an outlaw band, he [D]told them of his [Em]plight[C]
They [G]said ‘Brave man, Jack [C]Reilly, you will [D]ride with us to[G]night’ –G-G-C
They [D]rode like devils through the dust a[C]cross Australian [G]plains
They [D]robbed the banks in every town, they [C]robbed the smoking [G]trains
Jack Reilly was the best of them, he [D]rode from dusk till [Em]dawn[C]
He [G]shot the bankers [C]one by one - he [D]shot the bankers [G]down –G-G-C

The [G]constables and troopers searched the [D]land from miles a[Em]round[C] 
Yet [G]neither hide nor [C]hair of him was [G]nowhere [C]to be [D]found
The [G]folks round here where Irish and they’d [D]answer with a [Em]grin[C]
‘You [G]say his name’s Jack [C]Reilly? No -  [D]never heard of [G]him…’ –G-G-C
For [D]six long years he rode the bush, he [C]led the outlaw [G]band
He [D]robbed the rich men from their gold, he [C]took it from their [G]hands
No woman’s love could hold him down though [D]many tried and [Em]failed[C]
Jack [G]Reilly was a [C]free man now and [D]no man’s law o[G]beyed  -G-G-C
 
 

The [G]time was passing quickly by and [D]Jack was slowing [Em]down[C]
One [G]day he left the [C]outlaw band for [G]Queensland [C]he was [D]bound
He [G]spurred his ??? pony as he [D]headed for the [Em]line[C]
With the [G]constables and [C]troopers getting [D]closer all the [G]time –G-G-C
He [D]rode through Bullawarra on a [C]cold and moonlight [G]night
The [D]troopers closed behind him, well, they [C]found him at day[G]light
Six carbine shots rang out that dawn that [D]took his life a[Em]way[C]
And [G]that was how Jack [C]Reilly died way [D]down in Botany [G]Bay

Lyrics without the chords
His hair was red, his eyes were blue, his age was eighteen years
And as they sailed around Cape Horn his eyes filled up with tears
For he knew he’d never see his home or]native land again
And the captain said Jack Reilly you will die a convict man 
With prison chains around his wrists that cut him to the bone
The captain said ‘Jack Reilly, son, your very soul I’ll own
I’ll bend and twist it to my will - for death you’ll surely pray
But I’ll see you live to end your days in chains in Botany Bay[ song ]


With quiet words Jack Reilly swore ‘The day will surely come
When I will slip these prison chains and justice will be done’
For three long weeks he took no bred, just water from the can
And all his comrades around him swore he was the dying man 
Until one night he slipped his chains and out of the door he ran
He grabbed a pistol from the guard and up the deck he sprang
‘My name it is Jack Reilly and from Ireland I do come
And neither man nor master has the right to tie me down!’


Up to the captain’s door he went - no fear could slow him down
For he would show no mercy to the servant of the crown
The captain stepped out on the deck with cutlass in his hand
‘Surrender or I’ll run you trough and drop where you stand!’ 
The crew looked on in silence then and ne’er a murmurmade
For they were tired and hungry men and not a word was said
Jack Reilly raised the pistol high, the captain made a frown
And with a single pistol shot he brought the captain down


The crew they said ‘Jack Reilly, mate, we’ll lower you o’er the [side
Into the longboat you must go and bid this ship goodbye
For there’s a man-o-war about -  they’ll catch you if they can
And from the yard down, Jack me boy, your body they will hang’ 
And so he turned the longboat round and to the rising sun
Five lonely days and nights he rowed till he was nearly done
Then he heard the sound of breaking waves on free Australian sand
And jumping from the longboat up onto the beach he swam


Through New South Wales he made his way beneath the burning [sun
And ’cross the Murray River when a month was barely gone
T’was there he met an outlaw band, he told them of his plight
They said ‘Brave man, Jack Reilly, you will ride with us tonight’ 
They rode like devils through the dust across Australian plains
They robbed the banks in every town, they robbed the smoking trains
Jack Reilly was the best of them, he rode from dusk till dawn
He shot the bankers one by one - he shot the bankers down


The constables and troopers searched the land from miles around
Yet neither hide nor hair of him was nowhere to be found
The folks round here where Irish and they’d answer with a grin
‘You say his name’s Jack Reilly? No -  never heard of him…’ –
For six long years he rode the bush, he led the outlaw band
He robbed the rich men from their gold, he took it from their hands
No woman’s love could hold him down though many tried and failed
Jack Reilly was a free man now and no man’s law obeyed  -

 
The time was passing quickly by and Jack was slowing down
One day he left the outlaw band for Queensland he was bound
He spurred his ??? pony as he headed for the line
With the constables and troopers getting closer all the time 
He rode through Bullawarra on a cold and moonlight night
The troopers closed behind him, well, they found him at daylight
Six carbine shots rang out that dawn that took his life away
And that was how Jack Reilly died way down in Botany Bay