The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

TOM DOOLEY

HANG YOUR HEAD TOM DOOLEY, HANG YOUR HEAD AND CRY, KILLED POOR LAURA
FOSTER, YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DIE. YOU TOOK HER BY THE HILLSIDE AS
GOD ALMIGHTY KNOWS, YOU TOOK HER BY THE HILLSIDE AND THERE YOU HID
HER CLOTHES. YOU TOOK HER BY THE ROADSIDE WHERE YOU BEGGED TO BE
EXCUSED, YOU TOOK HER BY THE ROADSIDE AND THERE YOU TOOK HER SHOES.
(REFRAIN) (FIRST SENTENCE) WELL PICK UP MY OLD VIOLIN AND PLAY IT
ALL YOU PLEASE, BY THIS TIME TOMORROW IT'LL BE NO GOOD TO ME.
(REFRAIN)
I DUG A HOLE FOUR FEET WIDE, I DUG IT THREE FOOT DEEP, THREW THE
COLD CLAY OVER HER AND TROMPED HER WITH MY FEET.(REFRAIN) WELL PICK
UP MY OLD VIOLIN AND PLAY IT ALL YOU PLEASE, BY THIS TIME TOMORROW
I'LL BE HANGIN' FROM A WIDE OAK TREE. THIS WORLD AND ONE MORE THEN,
WHERE DO YOU RECKON I'D BE? IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR GRAYSON I'D
A-BEEN IN TENNESSEE. (REFRAIN)

Submitter comment: IT WAS REMARKED BY JEF THAT DOOLEY'S REAL NAME WAS DOLITTLE.
ALSO, THE SONG TAKES PLACE SHORTLY AFTER THE CIVIL WAR. GRAYSON
IS OBVIOUSLY A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OF SOME SORT.

Where learned: DETROIT

Date learned: CA03001974