| Play/Download Music File Lesley Nelson |
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| In 1701 a chimney named Jack Hall was hanged for burglary. When a child Jack Hall had been sold to a chimney sweep for a guinea. According to Sharp the song was written before 1719 because there is reference to a tune "Chimney Sweep" which has the same metre as Jack Hall in a publication that year.
The tune is related to Admiral Benbow. Because of the fact Admiral Benbow died in 1702 Sharp supposes that Jack Hall is the earlier tune. The tune and word patterns are very similar to: The song was made popular in the 1850s with the adaptation Sam Hall by English comic minstrel, C.W. Ross, in the 1850's. |
Oh my name it is Jack Hall, Chimney sweep, chimney sweep, Oh my name it is Jack Hall, chimney sweep. Oh my name it is Jack Hall, And I've robb'd both great and small, And my neck shall pay for all When I die, when I die, And my neck shall pay for all when I die. I have twenty pounds in store, that's no joke, that's no joke, I have twenty pounds in store, that's no joke. I have twenty pounds in store And I'll rob for twenty more, And my neck shall pay for all When I die, when I die, And my neck shall pay for all when I die. O they tell me that in goal I shall die, I shall die O they tell me that in goal, I shall die. O they tell me that in goal I shall drink no more brown ale, But be dash'd if ever I fail Til I die, til I die But be dash'd if ever I fail till I die. O I rode up Tyburn Hill In a cart, in a cart O I rode up Tyburn Hill in a cart. O I rode up Tyburn Hill, and 'twas there I made my will, Saying, "The best of friends must part, So, farewell, so, farewell." Saying, "The best of friends must part So, farewell." Up the ladder I did grope, that's no joke, that's no joke Up the ladder I did grope, that's no joke. Up the ladder I did grope, and the hangman spread the rope, O but never a word said I, coming down, coming down, O never a word said I coming down. |
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| From
One Hundred English Folksongs See Bibliography for full information. |
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