Streets of Forbes

"Streets of Forbes" (Roud # 20764) is an Australian folksong about the death of bushranger Ben Hall. The song is one of the best-known elements of the Australian folk repertoire. It has been recorded by many folk and popular artists and groups including The Bushwhackers, Gary Shearston, Niamh Parsons, June Tabor, Show of Hands, and Weddings Parties Anything. English folk singer Martin Carthy sings the song on his 1968 album But Two Came By with Dave Swarbrick.

Paul Kelly made his public debut singing the Australian folk song "Streets of Forbes" to a Hobart audience in 1974. "The Streets of Forbes" is usually listed as traditional or anonymous, but Gary Shearston writes that "there are reasons for thinking John McGuire, (Ben Hall's brother in law), may well have been the original author".

The song recounts how Ben Hall left his station and became a bushranger for three years and was then shot dead by police in 1865. The song paints Hall in a sympathetic light, and portrays the police as corrupt, brutal and cowardly.

Forbes is a small town in New South Wales, a state of Australia. At the time of Ben Hall, Forbes was part of the Colony of New South Wales, in turn part of the British Empire.

"Lachlan men" refers to people living near the Lachlan River, which runs through Forbes.

A station is a large Australian livestock farm.

"Traps" and "troopers" are old Australian terms for the police.

Gilbert and John Dunn were two other bushrangers who were members of Ben Hall's gang.