For the record, here's what's in the Traditional Ballad Index:

He Was a Friend of Mine

DESCRIPTION: "He was a friend of mine (x2), Never had no money to pay his fine..." "He died on the road, Never had no money to pay for his board." "He never done no wrong, He was just a poor boy a long way from home." "I stole away and cried...."
AUTHOR: reportedly Bob Dylan, Dave Van Ronk, Eric Von Schmidt
EARLIEST DATE: 1962 (recording, Bob Dylan)
KEYWORDS: rambling friend death
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Silber-FSWB, p. 60, "He Was A Friend of Mine" (1 text)
DT, FRNDMINE
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Shorty George"
Notes: In 1964 Roger McGuinn rewrote the song as a tribute to the recently assassinated President Kennedy. - PJS
File: FSWB060

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2006 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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The version in the Digital Tradition is an exact transcription of the lyrics in Silber & Silber's Folksonger's Wordbook.