Sam Hall

A little while ago we had the excellent Sam Brookes drop into the session and he performed this poignant song of an unrepentant criminal sentenced to death and his last waking thoughts. The song was originally called 'Jack Hall', the eponymous character being a 18th century criminal hung (hanged?) at Tyburn. Over the ensuing years the song has produced numerous offspring some of which cast the criminal as an embittered fellow with a twisted smile and a wry sense of humour. In Cecil Sharp's '100 English Folk Songs' he notes that in the versions he collected, all but one shared a variant of the tune to the song 'Admiral Benbow' and posits that as Jack was hung in 1701 and Benbow died in 1702, the latter song was written to fit the former tune.

In this version Sam is set out almost as a Robin Hood character with a strong sense of justice and a popular person as well, whilst considering this little bit of writing, I was reminded of Michel Foucault's essay 'Spectacle of the Scaffold' that looks at the change in punishment and justice from the time of hanging to the institutionalising of the judicial system: It's more complex than I can put here but have a look at this link. Either way, Sam (or Jack) has, over time, presented many different views on the criminal and his reflection on his actions.

Tim

For my name is Sam Hall, Chimney Sweep, Chimney Sweep 

For my name is Sam Hall, Chimney Sweep 

For my name is Sam Hall, And I've robbed both big and small
Now my neck must pay for all when I die, when I die
Oh my neck must pay for all when I die, when I die

I've just twenty pounds In store That's not all, Thats not all ,

I've just twenty pounds In store, That's not all

I've just twenty pounds In store, And I'll rob for tweny more 

Oh the rich must help the poor so must I, so must I 

Oh the rich must help the poor so must I 

Now I killed a man they said, so they said, so they said 

Oh I killed a man they said, so they said 

Oh I killed a man they said bashed in his bloody head 

Oh the rich must help the poor so must I, so must I 

Oh the rich must help the poor so must I

Ah They took me to Cooch Hill In a cart, in a cart

Ah They took me to Cooch Hill In a cart 

Ah They took me to Cooch Hill and I stopped to make me will

Oh The best of friends must part so must I, so must I 

Oh The best of friends must part so must I 

Up the ladder I did Grope that's no joke, thats no joke, 

Up the ladder I did Grope that's no joke 

Up the ladder I did Grope and the hangman pulled the rope 

 And ne're a word I spoke, tumblin' down, tumblin' down 

And ne're a word I spoke, tumblin' down

For my name is Sam Hall, Chimney Sweep, Chimney Sweep 

For my name is Sam Hall, Chimney Sweep 

For my name is Sam Hall, And I've robbed both big and small
Now my neck did pay for all when I die, when I die
Oh my neck did pay for all when I die, when I die