Not much in the Traditional Ballad Index:

Philadelphia Lawyer, The

DESCRIPTION: "Way out in Reno, Nevada," the Philadelphia lawyer courts a "Hollywood maid." He tries to convince her to come back to Philadelphia with him. But her husband Bill, discovering them, kills the lawyer
AUTHOR: Words: Woody Guthrie (tune: The Jealous Lover)
EARLIEST DATE: 1937 (composed)
KEYWORDS: homicide lawyer courting derivative cowboy infidelity
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Greenway-AmericanFolksongsOfProtest, pp. 283-284, "The Philadelphia Lawyer" (1 text)
DT, PHILALAW*
Roud #500
RECORDINGS:
Woody Guthrie & Cisco Houston, "Philadelphia Lawyer" (on OrigVis, CowFolkCD1)
Maddox Bros. & Rose, "Philadelphia Lawyer" (on Four Star 1289, 1949)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Reno Blues
NOTES [32 words]: In one of the strangest lumps I've seen, Roud classifies this with the "Florella" family [Laws F1]. That, of course, provided some inspiration, but the actual text is pure Woody Guthrie. - RBW
File: Grnw283

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