"Bonnie George Campbell" was probably the fourth ballad I met with, at the age of twelve. (The first two had been "Streets of Laredo" and Disney's "Balld of Davy Crockett." The third was "Tom Dooley.")

The simple tune of "Campbell" was haunting. The strange words had meaning in spite of themselves, and there was something chilling (I still remember it!) in the bare-bones narrative that forced the unspoken events into my mind.

If I'd first heard it ten years later, maybe I wouldn't have been impressed.

But since I didn't, I have to say, yeah, it's beautiful.