While it doesn't seem obvious that this is country music, allow me to make the case. It won the Grammy for Best Country and Western Performance. It's also a song that tells a story, something that country music excels at. And not just a story, it's a story about a love triangle that led to a murder and a hanging. It happened in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Sounds pretty country to me.
Tom Dula historical marker |
A lot of folks thought that Anne killed Laura but since Tom still loved Anne, he took the blame. Rumor had it that Anne knew where the grave was, and showed people where it was. Dula's trial was a sensation, even making the pages of the New York Times. His lawyer was no less than North Carolina's Governor who represented him pro bono. He was convicted anyway, and convicted again in a second trial. Anne was also tried but Dula testified that she wasn't involved and she was acquitted. Dula was sentenced to hang. As he stood on the gallows, his last words were said to be "Gentlemen, do you see this hand? I didn't harm a hair on the girl's head".
Now if that all isn't a country song, I don't know what is. I mean, all it's missing is a pickup truck.
Tom Dooley (Songwriter: Thomas Land)
Hang down your head, Tom DooleyThe Queen Of The World recommended that I post this song. She knows a thing or two about country music.
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
I met her on the mountain
There I took her life
Met her on the mountain
Stabbed her with my knife
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
This time tomorrow
Reckon where I'll be
Hadn't a-been for Grayson
I'd a-been in Tennessee
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
This time tomorrow
Reckon where I'll be
Down in some lonesome valley
Hangin' from a white oak tree
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die
Poor boy, you're bound to die
Poor boy you're bound to die
Poor boy, you're bound to die...
2 comments:
I used to rent the house that his grave is on the property of. It worked great to threaten the kids with the ghost of Tom Dooley when they didn’t behave. His marker is on private property on a hill next to the house.
Malarkey, that's pretty cool.
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