Someone will know this.

[Never]

I just began to play a game and one of the fractions had this as their quote:

"Now it's day and night the irons clang, and like poor galley slaves.
We toil and toil, and when we die, must fill dishonored graves.
But some dark night, when everything is silent in the town.
I'll shoot the tyrants one and all, I'll gun the flogger down.
I'll give the land a little shock, remember what I say.
And they'll yet regret they've sent Jim Jones in chains to Botany Bay."

Something about the way the gentleman read it have me shivers down my spine - but the only information the game gave we was that this was a 'traditional'. Has anyone heard this before? Does anyone know the story behind it? Is this the last verse of a longer poem?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mind if I pick your brain? It's the pretty pink one.

 

[Siren]

Never thought I would say this Never.....but....

 

[Lasher]

I did a search, and it seems to be a song by Bob Dylan called "Jim Jones".

http://bdylan.com/songs/jimjones.html

 

[Mustang Sally]

Oh, that is so totally Bob Dylan-ish!
I love his lyrics even if his voice is a little ummm... would whiny describe it? Not really. Well, you know.

I saw him in concert with Joanie Mitchell last year. Dear Joanie sings lovely songs, but she put my friends to sleep. Literally. It was cool just to be in the same building as Bobby, but he sang mostly new stuff - who knew he had new stuff?? lol

 

[Merelan]

I love Bobby too, but must correct you. It is his song, and he cleaned it up a bit. But it is based on an old "folk" song, as many of his are. Nothing wrong with that at all. He has saved them for future generations. Many songwriters, especially of his "era" did that. Wow, great and wonderful.
I hate the thought I used the word "era". Makes me sound old.
Where is my walker?

 

[Hecate]

Roll-a-tor darling ....

... it is roll-a-tor, remember .. and the things I would like to do with that and you Merelan ... mhhhh *winks*

sorry - just couldn't resist THAT ONE *g*

 

[Merelan]

!!!!!!!!!!
Is that a promise?

 

[Never]

Use the excuse I do Siren, "I knew it but I forgot." Much more impressive.
Aaaaah. No need to do any sort of thinking with you folks here to do it for me. I know it's a traditional but I didn't know Dylon sang it as well.
Now at least I know the rest of the verse, I still wonder if there's a true story of some sort behind it.

 

[Merelan]

More then likely yes there is a story behind it, most of the early folk songs were based on local "heroes" and legends. Hmmm. Wonder if I can find this one.

 

[Guest]

Someone will know this

It might be worth checking out the works of Banjo Patterson (sic) the Australian Robert Service (Sorry Oz). It sounds a little like his style, Scuse me just going to get my anorak...)