[Verse 1]
Events of greatest moment as the seeming times to come
Are often played out simply at the time
And so, the one who rode away
The only one to really say
Upon his word the outcome would resolve
Defends our crime

[Chorus]
So, take him down and bring the black cat to me now
Let me speak the words the only sentence left to say
Prepare the ground but let no blessing be pronounced
No holy ground for one who’s gone so far astray

[Verse 2]
To years of grief and rage and guilt that took him to the brink
In madness McIntyre was so defined
He eroded when the thing was done
But Lonnigan had touched his gun
His mind so changed but when he came to say
He’d changed his mind

[Chorus]
So, take him down and bring the black cat to me now
Let me speak the words the only sentence left to say
Prepare the ground but let no blessing be pronounced
No holy ground for one who’s gone so far astray
[Verse 3]
And so the judge who’d sentenced Ellen Kelly to the cells
The one whom death had blown its fatal kiss
Judge Redmond Barry’s final act
To hear Ned Kelly answer back
“I’ll meet you in a greater court than this”
Take him down