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Ballad of Tim Evans

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The Ballad of Tim Evans

The Ballad of Tim Evans

(Ewan MacColl)

Tim Evans was a prisoner,

Fast in his prison cell

And those who read about his crimes,

They damned his soul to hell,

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

For the murder of his own dear wife

And the killing of his own child

The jury found him guilty

And the hangin' judge, he smiled.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

Tim Evans pleaded innocent

And he swore by Him on high,

That he never killed his own dear wife

Nor caused his child to die.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

The governor came in one day

And the chaplain by his side,

Said, «Your appeal has been turned down,

Prepare yourself to die.»

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

They moved him out of C-block

To his final flowery dell,

And day and night two screws were there

And they never left his cell.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

Sometimes they played draughts with him

And solo and pontoon,

To stop him brooding on the rope

That was to be his doom.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

They brought his grub in on a tray,

an was eggs and meat and ham,

And all the snout that he could smoke

Was there at his command.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

The govenor came in one day

The chaplain by his side

Says your appeal has been turned down

Prepear yourself to die

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

Tim Evans walked in the prison yard

And the screws, they walked behind;

And he saw the sky above the wall

But he knew no peace of mind.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

They came for him at eight o’clock

And the chaplain read a prayer

And then they marched him to that place

Where the hangman did prepare.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

The rope was fixed around his neck

And a washer behind his ear.

The prison bell was tolling

But Tim Evans did not hear.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

A thousand lags were cursing

And a-banging on the doors;

But Evans couldn’t hear them,

He was deaf for ever more.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderer, go down.»

They sent Tim Evans to the drop

For a crime he did not do.

It was Christy was the murderer

And the judge and jury too.

Sayin', «Go down, you murderers, go down.»