• Wild Bill Jones
• Jesse James
• Staggolee (Dr. John's version)
• Little Maggie
• Darlin' Corey

I don't know if El Paso counts, but that's certainly one of my favorites. Another Marty Robbins tune I really like is They'll Bury Me Tonight, about a man who shoots his sweetie because she done took up with another.

There's a song I've got on a Greentrax (I think) compilation called Burke & Hare - about a real-life pair of hooligans who used to murder street urchins and sell their bodies to an evil doctor for research.

"Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts" - Bob Dylan

And geez, I must really love this song because it fits in so many different categories (like its a great "don't get mad get even" song), but I'll go for "East Texas Red."

Spaw

Little Hawk, Lily, Rosemary and The Jack of Hearts is perhaps my favourite Dylan song ever. What a rogue.

OhgodI'mSOsorry

John

Peter.

I'm glad someone mentioned Claude Dallas. I like that one too.

-The California Kid Country Dick Montana and the Beat Farmers

Railroad Bill- also tradition, sung by John Jackson.

Billy the Kid

I was planning on writing a song about D.B.Cooper when I find a bit more on him.

Benjamin

"Frankie and Johnny" were both pretty bad.

So were "Bill Martin and Ella Speed."

"Duncan and Brady" were bad.

And Bill the gun-totin cowboy of Woody Guthrie's "Philadelphia Lawyer"

Ry Cooder's version of "Billy the Kid" was written by Andrew Jenkins and recorded in the 20's by Vernon Dalhart.

"Jesse With the Long Hair Hanging Down" was written by Robert Earl Keen.

Belle Starr Otto Wood Butch Cassidy

Belle Starr -- Otto Wood -- Butch Cassidy (sometimes called The Wild Bunch)

"Tweeter And The Monkey Man"

"John Wesley Harding"

"Billy - # 1, 2, 3 and whatever..."

"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Dylan version)

All four by you know who...

Anybody know where I can find the words to "Jesse With The Long Hair Hangin' Down"?

--Stewie.

"She used to love that little dog then one day I up and shot it"

"Cole Younger" recorded by Dock Boggs.

"'True Love Knows no Season' written by Norman Blake (or was it Tony Rice?) and recorded by Planxty."

The title is "Billy Gray," dammit!

It's Norman's song, so Norman can damn well decide what the title is. Planxty are either crooked or don't know enough to get out of their own way!

And Tony Rice could no more have written that song than I could play one of his guitar solos!

There are people who can play guitar as good as Norman and there are people who can write as good songs as Norman but there is no one who can play guitar as good as Norman and write as good a song as Norman and that's all there is to it.

I have spoken.

Now please try not to get me upset again today. It's bad for me to get worked up at my age.

Peter.

Peter.

Me and My Uncle - The Grateful Dead

JESSE WITH THE LONG HAIR...
Robert Earl Keen

Jesse took a powder, slicked his long hair back
put a cartridge in his gun and stepped outside his shack,
saddled up his buckskin mare and rode off into town.
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Luann fixed her makeup, straightened out her dress,
picked up a photograph and held it to her breast
How could she ever love him? He never was around.
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Chorus:
Flesh and blood it turns to dust Scatters in the wind
love is all that matters in the end.

Sheriff Paul was sleepin', his hat off in his lap
When he got a package that woke him from his nap.
He unrolled a poster, couldn't help but frown
It was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

They had been compadres many years before.
Jesse saved his life one time back before the war.
Now he was the king of thieves, he wore it like a crown.
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

CH0RUS

Mr. Brown the banker hid the money in his case.
It was time for him to leave this God forsaken place.
His true love loved the outlaw who hated Mr. Brown
That was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Mr Brown had taken the land that Jesse owned.
The banker claimed that Jesse had not repaid his loan.
Truth and lies were tangled but when the truth unwound
there was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Mr. Brown was all alone Luann came walking in.
She pulled a pistol from her purse and pointed it at him.
When the door blew open she turned to look around
It was Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Mr Brown grabbed Luann's gun and held it to her head.
"I'll blow her to Kingdom Come" is what the banker said.
In that fateful moment Jesse stood his ground.
Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

CH0RUS

The bullet that killed Mr. Brown came through the windowpane.
It put a hole above one eye and lodged down in his brain.
He never saw a puff of smoke, no flash, no fire, no sound.
From Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Sheriff Paul was fast asleep his hat down on his eyes,
when he got a letter and much to his surprise
a picture of the sweet Luann in her wedding gown
and Jesse with the long hair hangin' down.

Chorus:
Flesh and blood it turns to dust Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end my friend.

Gotta agree so far: "Dehlia"; "Billy Gray"; "Jesse James" (esp. Golden Ring version); "Wild Bill Jones"; "Ella Speed"; "Staggerlee" (actually, I like the 1950's R&B version a lot).

Must add "Little Sadie", "Captain Kidd", "Tom Dooley", "Duncan and Brady" and Robert Earl Keen's "Tom Ames' Prayer". Would "Frankie and Johnny" and "Betty and Dupree" count? And there are lots of good European ones: "Brennan on the Moor" and such.

Jim Jones

Come and listen for a moment lads, And hear me tell my tale
How across the seas from England I was condemned to sail
Oh, the jury found me guilty, lads, then says the judge, says he
"For life Jim Jones I'm sending you across that stormy sea
So take a trip before you ship to join the iron gang
Don't get too gay in Botany Bay or else you'll surely hang
Or else you'll surely hang, says he, and after that, Jim Jones
It's high upon the gallows tree the crows will pick your bones"

Now our ship was sailing on the sea when pirates came along
But the soldiers on that convict ship they were full 500 strong
And they opened fire and soon they drove that pirate ship away
But I'd rather have joined that pirate ship than gone to Botany Bay
With the storms all raging round us and the wind a blowing gale
I'd rather have drowned in misery than gone to New South Wales
There's no time for mischief there, they say, "Remember that," says they
For they'll flog the flesh right off your bones down there in Botany Bay

Now it's day and night the irons clang, and like poor galley slaves
We toil and toil and when we die must fill dishonoured graves
But it's by and by I'll slip my chains, into the bush I'll go
And I'll join the brave bush rangers there, Jack Donohue and all
And some dark night when all is still and silent in the town
I'll shoot those tyrants one by one, I'll gun the floggers down
Yes, I'll give the lot a little shot, remember what I say
And they'll yet regret they sent Jim Jones in chains to Botany Bay

The words vary a bit here and there, but that's basically it, and that's how I sing it these days...great song!

But Ian Robb sings it so much better...IMNSHO.

Peter.

Oh well, great minds think alike. damn good song.

regards, Chance

"Mack the Knife"

"In the Jailhouse Now" Doc Watson

"Red Headed Stranger" ...he screamed like a panther... gives me shivers.

Jon W.

Peter.

I asked her if she'd marry me, she pulled out a knife. "The party's just beginning", she said, "your money or your life."

Now I'm back at the bar, she went a little too far. She done me wrong, all I've got is a song. Last night...talkin' 'bout last night...

Now that's what I call a BA-A-A-A-D girl!

LEJ

by the way...how the Hell did you escape from the catacombs?

--seed

LEJ smiling sardonically

Oh, here's one more: "Fall River Hoedown"--the ballad of Lizzie Borden.

--seed