To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=90531
22 messages

Lyr Req: Hang Me

12 Apr 06 - 10:22 PM (#1716896)
Subject: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: JWB

I'm looking for the words to a song I've only heard sung by a fellow named Chris Turner. I searched the DigiTrad and Forum, and the only reference I found was a chorus variant from a thread on capital punishment from 1999. So I throw it out into the pond to see if the mudcats are biting.

Chris calls it "Hang Me", and here's what I can remember:

Chorus:
Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone (repeat)
It's not the hanging that I mind it's lying in the jail so long.
I've been all around this world.

Parts of verses include:
Up on the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's there I'll make my stand.
    and
Federal, oh Federal, Federal can't catch me.

Thankee in advance for your assistance.

Jerry

12 Apr 06 - 10:37 PM (#1716914)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Midchuck

Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone
Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone
Wouldn't mind the hanging, just laying in the grave so long
I've been all around this world

On the Blue Ridge Mountain, it's there I'll make my stand (repeat)
Rifle on my shoulder, dagger in my hand
I've been....

Rifle on my shoulder, dagger in my hand (repeat)
I'll shoot her if she runs from me and stab her if she stands.
I've been...

Mama and Papa and little sister makes three (repeat)
They'll march me down to the gallows, that's the last they'll see of me.
I've been...

Lulu, my Lulu, come and open your door (repeat)
Before I have to open it with my old .44
I've been...

and on and on and on...

Peter.

12 Apr 06 - 10:39 PM (#1716916)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Janie

It is called "I've Been All Around This World." I didn't think to check the DT under that title before I started this, but if it is not in the DT you can google it and find the lyrics, I'm sure.

A lot of blue grass and stringbands have done it.

It's a good song!

Janie

12 Apr 06 - 11:15 PM (#1716946)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Joe Offer

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index Entry:

Hang Me, Oh Hang Me (Been All Around This World)

DESCRIPTION: Man about to be hanged laments his life. Says, "Hang me, oh hang me, and I'll be dead and gone/It's not the hangin' that I mind, it's layin' in the grave [or jail] so long." In some versions he describes his life as a gambler.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1917 (Belden-BalladsSongsCollectedByMissourFolkloreSociety)
KEYWORDS: execution punishment death gambling gallows-confession lament
FOUND IN: US(MW,So)
REFERENCES (10 citations):
Belden-BalladsSongsCollectedByMissourFolkloreSociety, pp. 472-473, "The Gambler" (1 text)
Randolph 146, "My Father Was a Gambler" (2 texts, 2 tunes); 348, "Since I Left Arkansas" (1 text, 1 tune)
Randolph/Cohen-OzarkFolksongs-Abridged, pp. 173-175, "My Father Was a Gambler" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 146A)
Friedman-Viking/PenguinBookOfFolkBallads, p. 232, "The Gambler" (1 text)
Fife/Fife-CowboyAndWesternSongs 92, "I've Been All Around This World" (1 text, 1 tune)
Pound-AmericanBalladsAndSongs, 57, pp. 130-131, "The Gambler" (1 text)
Roberts-SangBranchSettlers, #16, "Rovin' Gambler" (1 text, 1 tune); #54, "My Daddy Was a Gambler" (1 short text, 1 tune, which Roberts thinks is a "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me (Been All Around This World)" fragment although it looks more like "The Roving Gambler (The Gambling Man)" [Laws H4] to me)
Lomax-FolkSongsOfNorthAmerica 298, "John Henry-I"; 299, (1 text, 1 tune, containing a large portion of "Been All Around This World" or a relative)
Spaeth-WeepSomeMoreMyLady, pp. 129-130, "I've Been All Around the World" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, GAMBLR2
Roud #3416
RECORDINGS:
Justus Begley, "I've Been All Around This World" (AFS, 1937; on KMM)
Grandpa Jones, "I've Been All Around This World" (King 524, 1946)
Art Thieme, "Cape Girardeau" (on Thieme02)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Roving Gambler (The Gambling Man)" [Laws H4] (floating lyrics)
cf. "Don't Let Your Watch Run Down" (floating lyrics)
cf. "The Horse Trader's Song" (tune, floating lyrics)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Cape Girardeau
I've Been All Around This World
The Hobo's Lament
The Hobo Blues
NOTES [40 words]: Laws regards Belden-BalladsSongsCollectedByMissourFolkloreSociety's and Randolph's versions of this as a ballad, "The Gambler," which he lists as dE43. But the text seems much more diffuse than Laws's small and highly specific subset. - RBW
File: R146

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

The Ballad Index Copyright 2021 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

13 Apr 06 - 12:35 AM (#1717000)
Subject: Lyr Add: THE GAMBLER
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

This song may have its origin in the songs of African-Americans.
Orlando Kay Armstrong, 1931, "Old Massa's People," has one of the slaves, awaiting sale in Savannah, singing (quoted from Belden):

I don' mind dyin', but I got to go by myself (2x),
Oh, I don' mind dyin', if dyin' was all.
Lawd, I don' mind dyin', if dyin' was all!

The song in Belden, collected by Miss Frances Barbour, 1917, from Minnie Doyal of Arlington, Missouri:

Lyr. Add: THE GAMBLER

My father was a gambler, he learnt me how to play,
My father was a gambler, he learlt me how to play,
Saying, 'Son, don't go a-begging when you hold the ace and trey,
When you hold the ace and trey.'

Chorus:
Hang me, O hang me, and I'll be dead and gone,
Hang me, O hang me, and I'll be dead and gone;
I wouldn't mind the hangin', it's been gone so long,
It's layin' in the grave so long.

They took me down to old Fort Smith as sick as I could be,
They took me down to old Fort Smith as sick as I could be,
They handed me a letter saying, 'Son, come home to me,'
Saying, 'Son, come home to me.'

My father and my mother and my little sister makes three,
My father and my mother and my little sister makes three,
They all came up to the gallows to see the last of me,
To see the last of me.

They put the rope around my neck and drew me very high,
They put the rope around my neck and drew me very high,
And the words I heard 'em sayin' was 'It won't be long till he'll die,
It won't be long till he'll die.'

Belden, H. M., ed., 1940, "Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society, Univ. Missouri Studies, No. 15, no. 1,
pp. 472-473, no music.

Belden also quotes from N. I. White, 1928, "American Negro Folk Songs," , p. 78, in part. Here is White's complete entry from his section on religious songs:
"Reported from Durham, NC, 1925, MS of N. I. White. Sung by Ed Lloyd, Creedmoor, NC.

You can play the ace and trey,
But it sho' will lead you astray.
It's awful sad when the Holy Ghost is gone.

You can weep and you can moan,
But hell goin' be yo' home.
It's awful sad when the Holy Ghost is gone.

You can play the ace and deuce,
But God'll ketch you with no excuse.
It's awful sad when the Holy Ghost is gone.

You can pass the whiskey round,
But you must lay yo' body down.
It's awful sad when the Holy Ghost is gone.

Also reported from Durham, 1919, "Sung by a cripple Negro on the street," W. B. Jeffrey.

13 Apr 06 - 12:39 AM (#1717004)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: 12-stringer

Also known as "New Railroad."

A couple of additional recordings:

An LOC by Justus Begley from the late 30s (3/4 time), issued on the Yazoo KY Mountain Music set.

Mike Seeger's Vanguard LP from the mid-60s, acknowledging the Grandpa Jones version IIRC.

Neither is at hand but I have this on LP by the Hot Mud Family and by Robin and Linda Williams (the latter as "New Railroad"), both from the 70s.   

Jerry Garcia recorded it in the late 80s with his acoustic band, and Dylan did this on his 1990 tour. A search at Bobdylanroots.com will bring up a text transcribed by Kerry Blech from the Justus Begley version.

13 Apr 06 - 01:22 AM (#1717019)
Subject: Lyr Add: I'VE BEEN ALL AROUND THIS WORLD
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

Cowboy version, from Fife and Fife

Lyr. Add: I'VE BEEN ALL AROUND THIS WORLD

Way up on the Osage mountain where the wind blows chilly and cold,
Way up on the Osage mountain where the wind blows chilly and cold,
Where I hid out last winter, starved and very nearly froze;
Lord knows I've been all around this world.

Way up on the Osage mountains, it's there I made my stand,
Way up on the Osage mountains, it's there I made my stand,
With a Winchester on my saddle and a six-shooter in each hand.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

They arrested me on Broadway Street and there they made me stand,
They arrested me on Broadway Street and there they made me stand,
With a six-shooter in my face and shackles on my hands.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

Well, I took off my overcoat and I hung it on my wall,
Well, I took off my overcoat and I hung it on my wall,
Whipped out two six-shooters, God knows I made them bawl.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

Oh hang me, oh hang me, oh hang me good and high,
Oh hang me, oh hang me, oh hang me good and high,
And telegraph to mother to come and see me die.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

There's mother and father, little sister she counts three,
There's mother and father, little sister she counts three,
To follow down to the gallows and see the last of me.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

The railroad is finished, the cars is on the track,
The railroad is finished, the cars is on the track,
Just telegraph to mother, her money will bring me back.
Lord knows, I've been all around this world.

Austin E. and Alta S. Fife, 1969, "Cowboy and Western Songs," pp. 251-252, with music. Collected by Bob Duncan, FAC I 368 (the 42 volumes of the Fife American Collection). No date given.

Vance Randolph collected the song, as "My Father Was a Gambler," in 1917, from Mr. Billy Laws, Argenta, Arkansas, in 1917. Laws said the song was part of a much longer one about a murderer who was hanged at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in the 1870's, and that the letter was a decoy sent by the sheriff. Randolph, 1946 (1980), "Ozark Folksongs," pp. 80-82, with music.

13 Apr 06 - 01:34 AM (#1717026)
Subject: Lyr Add: HANG ME, OH, HANG ME (from Dave Van Ronk)
From: Barry Finn

I picked this up from either a tape I made or a recording of Dave Van Ronk, it's gotta be maybe 35 yrs ago.

Been All Round This World

Went up on a mountain, there I made my stand(2x)
Rifle on my shoulder, got a dagger in my hand, poor boy
Been all round this world

CH: Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead & gone (2x)
    Wouldn't mind the hanging but it's laying in the gave so long
    Poor, boy
    Been all round this world.

Been around Cape Gerdo (bad spelling) parts of Arkansas(2x)
Got so goddam hungry I could hide behind straw
Been all round this world

Tied me with a noose, strung me up so high (2x)
Last words I heard them say, won't be long now for you die, poor boy
Been all round this world

Working On the New Railrilroad

Working on the new railroad with the mud up to my knees(2x)
Digging for Big John Henry, he's so hard to please
Been all around this world

Lulu, oh Lulu come & open up this door(2x)
Before I have to blow it down with my ol 44
Been all around this world

Lulu, oh Lulu were'd you get that dress so fine (2x)
Got my dress from a railroad man, got my shoes from a driver in the mine
Been all aroound this world

Barry

13 Apr 06 - 01:41 AM (#1717027)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Barry Finn

Test this link: try here Janie
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=6681#39179
I don't think this lick worked, it's in the forum.
Barry

13 Apr 06 - 08:21 AM (#1717152)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Janie

If I remember correctly, Norman Blake did a fine recording of it on one of his early albums, either "Fields of November or "Whiskey Before Breakfast."

The Bing Brothers do a nice Appalachian string band version of it.

Janie

13 Apr 06 - 10:27 AM (#1717239)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: JWB

Very helpful, all. Thanks so much. I'll be performing with my source for the song this weekend, so I'll get his version down, and share it here.

I wonder if the song started in Arkansas, as Q's resource indicates, or if it moved west from the Appalachians.

Jerry

13 Apr 06 - 10:35 AM (#1717246)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: GUEST,Jim

I learned it from Dave Van Ronk Folksinger in the early 60s, a great record which I wish I still had. I still sing many of the tunes I learned from that record.
Another good version is on Michael Cooney, Singer Of Old Songs.

13 Apr 06 - 10:42 AM (#1717253)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: The Fooles Troupe

Hang me, hang me,
orta take a rope and hang me,
hang me from the highest tree....
O woman, don't you wait for me!

07 May 06 - 12:14 AM (#1734357)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: JWB

Here's the verses Chris Turner sings:

Up on the Blue Ridge mountains, it's there I'll make my stand
repeat
Whiskey in the bottle, pistol in my hand.
I been all around this world

chorus as in the first post

Federal, oh Federal, Federal can't catch me.
repeat
I been hiding out behind the old oak tree.
I been all around this world.

chorus

Lulu, oh Lulu, open up your door.
repeat
So I won't have to open it with my big fortyfour.
I been all around this world.

chorus

Thanks again for the many interesting variants.

Jerry

07 May 06 - 11:21 PM (#1735021)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Suffet

Greetings:

Here's the version I learned in Greenwich Village, New York City, a long, long time ago.

Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone,
Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone,
I woudn't mind the hanging, just lying in the grave so long, poor boy,
I've been all around this world.

I've been to Cape Girardeau and parts of Arkansas,
I've been to Cape Girardeau and parts of Arkansas,
I got so God damn hungry I robbed a grocery store, poor boy,
I've been all around this world.

I ran up on the mountain and there I made my stand,
I ran up on the mountain and there I made my stand,
My rifle and my six gun, both blazing from my hand, poor boy,
I've been all around this world.

The judge he read the verdict, he said what got to be done,
The judge he read the verdict, he said what got to be done,
The judge said to the sheriff, "This poor white trash got to be hung, poor boy,"
I've been all around this world.

Put the rope around my neck and hang me up so high,
Put the rope around my neck and hang me up so high,
The last words you'll hear me say are "My six gun don't lie, poor boy,"
I've been all around this world.

Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone,
Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone,
I woudn't mind the hanging, just lying in the grave so so long, poor boy,
I've been all around this world.


Note: Cape Girardeau is a city in Missouri.

--- Steve

07 May 06 - 11:31 PM (#1735031)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: open mike

the version that foolestroupe quoted is from Roger Miller

08 May 06 - 08:43 AM (#1735266)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Snuffy

I thought the Roger Miller one was called "Dang me"

08 May 06 - 03:21 PM (#1735520)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: GUEST,Arnie Naiman

The best stringband version I ever heard was done by The Highwoods Stringband and they recorded it on one of their records in the 1970's "Been All Around This World"

08 May 06 - 04:45 PM (#1735589)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang me
From: Tannywheeler

Roger Miller's "Dang Me" is not a version of "Been All Around This World". It's a different song--light-hearted, self-deprecating, I-get-myself-in-these-messes-and-have-trouble-getting-myself-out kinda thing. cho: "Dang me! dang me!
             They awta take a rope 'n' hang me--
             High--from the highest tree.
             Woman, would ya weep for me?"

09 Jun 11 - 11:26 AM (#3167701)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang Me
From: GUEST

I've been all around this world was written by Hazard, KY sheriff Justus Begley, an old relative of mine, in the 30s. Alan lomax was an archivist for the library of congress and he went all around remote places of the country with his 80 pound recorder and metal recording discs in 1934 in order to find, preserve and record some traditional folk music which otherwise would not be heard by as many people if a all. Incidently, house of the rising sun was also recorded by alan lomax on the same trip as I've been all around this world.

28 Aug 20 - 06:03 PM (#4070010)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang Me
From: Janie

Don't know who guest is, or if s/he is correct re who wrote it, but here is a link to the Justus Begley recording.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YInxVZal_VI

28 Aug 20 - 09:11 PM (#4070029)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Hang Me
From: GerryM

The song got a bit of a bump from the 2013 movie Inside Llewyn Davis, the title character being loosely based on Van Ronk.