Greetings:

I had read that when Tom Paxton was starting out, he set himself to the task of writing a song a day for a year. He was successful, and one year later had written 365 songs. Many were crap, but among the keepers were I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound, Rambling Boy, Bottle of Wine, and Last Thing On My Mind. Not bad!

I decided to set a more modest goal for my own self. Instead of writing a song a day for a year, I would aim for one a day for a month. Since the month I chose was December, I would need to write 31 songs. I failed, and by midnight New Year's Eve, I had completed just 18 songs. However, half of them proved to be worthy enough to be on my next CD.

Here's one example, a blues ballad based on a real life incident. Jake and Joe Tobler, then age 21 and 18, robbed and murdered two men in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in 1885. US Marshal Jack Stillwell eventually tracked them down and brought them to the nearest federal court, which was in Wichita, Kansas. That's where they were tried and convicted, and in 1888 they were hanged.


The Tobler Brothers
by Steve Suffet © 2008
Key of C in Dorian mode (major with flatted 3rd and 7th)
Raggedy 4/4

C(7)                     F       G7             C(7)
Out in the Indian Terri-tory, a long long time ago,

                         F       G7             C(7)
Out in the Indian Terri-tory, a long long time ago,

      G7                                           C
Jake Tobler went a-ridin' with his little brother Joe.

Out in the Indian Territory, a long long time ago,
Out in the Indian Territory, a long long time ago,
Jake Tobler went a-ridin' with his little brother Joe.

Jake said to his brother, "Better take your forty-four,"
Jake said to his brother, "Better take your forty-four,
A load of gold is comin' to the reservation store."

Jake rode to the campsite, and Joe was close behind,
Jake rode to the campsite, and Joe was close behind,
They shot two Indian agents, they left them there to die.

One hundred double eagles, all made of shiny gold,
One hundred double eagles, all made of shiny gold,
They put them in their satchels, left the agents lyin' cold.

U.S. Marshal Stillwell, hot on the brothers' trail,
U.S. Marshal Stillwell, hot on the brothers' trail,
He put them Tobler Brothers, into the Wichita jail.

The judge he read the verdict, he said what gotta be done,
The judge he read the verdict, he said what gotta be done,
The judge said to the marshal, "These brothers gotta be hung."

Jake said to the marshal, "Please let my brother go."
Jake said to the marshal, "Please let my brother go."
"You can hang me from the gallows pole, don't kill my brother Joe."

But ten o'clock they killed them, both on the scaffold high,
Ten o'clock they killed them, both on the scaffold high,
And many a brown eyed girl, hung down her head to cry.

Enjoy!

--- Steve