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Sam Hall” is an old English folk song about a bitterly unrepentant criminal condemned to death (Roud #369). Prior to the mid 19th century it was called “Jack Hall”, after an infamous English thief, who was hanged in 1707 at Tyburn. Jack Hall’s parents sold him as a climbing boy for one guinea, which is why most versions of the song identify Sam or Jack Hall as a chimney sweep. There are many versions of the song that have been collected at different periods. Comic Minstrel C.W. Ross adapted one in the 1850s, and changed the name from “Jack Hall” to “Sam Hall”. The song also appears to have been adapted to fit the region it was sung in; some versions refer to Sam Hall being hanged at Tyburn, some at Cootehill. Also it is unclear what, if any, uncouth language was... Read on...