The Ballad of Karla Faye Tucker by Ivan

Ivan's Comments:  The final line originally went " But the lone-star state of Texas, it bears the greater shame" but after Governor Bush won the presidential nomination I figured that he should have greater prominence.  This song is based on actual events (as they say for all those TV movies) but please remember it is a BALLAD not a history.  The background information was sourced from various places including CNN and Karla Faye Tucker's own autobiography, with a fair degree of poetic licence. In particular, any remarks attributed to individuals are paraphrased from their reported comments - not verbatim quotes (libel lawyers please take note!)  The tune I wrote it to is adapted from the traditional tune for "Frankie and Albert" (the original version of the "Frankie and Johnny" song) as recorded by Rory Block, but with bars nine and ten (- he was her man -) missed out. I.M.

Karla Faye was a bad girl,
an addict by the age of ten
She sold her body on the streets of Houston
to pay for heroin
To pay for heroin. 

By twenty-one she was a call-girl
and a drug-dealer by trade
With her boyfriend Daniel Garrett
lived a life of sin and shame
A life of sin and shame. 

Now her brother-in-law, name of Jerry Dean,
had been beating up his wife
Karla Faye planned to take revenge
by stealing his motorbike
His beloved motorbike. 

After a three-day orgy
of drugs and drink and sex
Karla and Daniel and a friend named Jimmy
put the plan into effect
They put the plan into effect. 

They went round to Jerry's building
and sneaked into the place
They thought that he was out of town
but took weapons just in case
Took weapons just in case. 

But Jerry was at home that night
lying in his bed
Daniel took a hammer
and he struck him on the head
He struck him on the head. 

Then Karla grabbed a pickax
as she heard him moan in pain
She swung the axe at Jerry's head
and smashed up Jerry's brain
She smashed poor Jerry's brain. 

Now Deborah Thornton had hidden away
when she heard them coming in
She screamed out loud when she saw the deed,
sealed her fate right there and then
Sealed her fate right there and then. 

Twenty strokes of the pickax
until the deed was done
When the police asked why she did it
she said it was just for fun
Said it was just for fun
. 
Well Jimmy turned states evidence,
the law let him walk free
But the judge would not allow Karla Faye
any mitigation plea
No mitigation plea. 

In prison she stole a bible
and took it to her cell
She read from it night after night
then on her knees she fell
Down on her knees she fell. 

She said "Lord there is no reason
for you to listen to what I say
I'm the very worst of sinners",
but He listened anyway
He listened anyway. 

She became a preacher
while still in prison bound
She helped so many others there
to turn their lives around
To turn their lives around. 

The police and prison authorities
agreed onto a man: 
"She helps so many to mend there ways
like no-one else here can
Like no-one else here can".

Even the brother of the girl she killed
spoke for her by and by
Said "I forgive this woman
and I pray she will not die
I pray she will not die".

And hell-fire preacher Pat Robertson,
and he's no liberal man
He said "This is a special case
I'll help her all I can. 
I'll help her all I can".

The appeal court sat in a crowded room,
the judges side by side
Said: "The laws of the state of Texas,
they cannot be denied
They will not be denied".

They set the execution date,
said: "This is what must be
And the only thing that will save you now
is a governor's decree
The state governor's decree".

Governor Bush he stood his ground,
like Pilate he washed his hands
He said "I cannot judge this case,
I'll leave it in God's hands
I'll leave it in God's hands".

With Karla Faye strapped in the chair
a silence filled the hall
The very last word this woman said
was "Friends I love all"
"Friends I love you all".

The crowd gathered round the prison gate,
singing and drinking beer
When the word came down that Karla Faye died
you should have heard them cheer. 
Lord, you should have heard them cheer. 

Now Karla Faye was a bad girl,
with evil to her name
But George W. Bush and the state of Texas,
they bear the greater shame.
They bear the greater shame.

© Ivan McKeon