Origins: Knoxville Girl

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knoxville Girl
From: tar_heel
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 10:45 PM

the louvin brother had one of the best versions of the knoxville girl....using the lyrics posted by guinnesschik!it was on an album called...tragic sings of life....its the version i sing today......their recording was from the early fifties(capitol records)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knoxville Girl
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:12 PM

Just put 'P35' in the Digitrad Lyrics Search box for DT's version. It all started with Francis Cooper murdering Anne Nicols on Feb. 20, 1684. See "The Bloody Miller" in the Scarce Songs 2 file on my website. www.erols.com/olsonw

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knoxville Girl
From: guinnesschik
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:08 PM

It is in the Digitrad song list. But here it is anyway.

THE KNOXVILLE GIRL

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Knoxville Girl
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Nov 00 - 07:05 PM

needs words

Subject: Lyr Add: THE KNOXVILLE GIRL (from Vance Randolph)
From:
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 06:23 AM

Check out Vance Randolph's collection of Ozark folksongs. In volume II, Songs of the South and West you'll find "The Noel Girl" plus several variations "The Expert Girl" or "The Rexford Girl" or "The Oxford Girl."

Away down in Knoxville town I used to live and dwell,
And in that little Knoxville town I owned a flourmill.

I fell in love with a Knoxville girl with pink and rosy eyes.
I promised her I'd marry her if me she'd never deny.

We walked along and talked along till we come to a level ground,
And I picked up a heavy stick and I knocked this little girl down.

She fell upon her bending knees. "Oh, Willie, have mercy!" she cried.
"Oh, Willie, my dear, don't murder me here, for I'm not prepared to die."

I laughed at every word she said. I beat her more and more.
I beat her till the ground around to ... a bloody...

I took her by her lily-white hair. I drug her round and round.
I drug her to the still water deep that flows to Knoxville town.

A dreadful trick we played her. This Knoxville girl was found
A-floating down the still water deep that flows to Knoxville town.

Her sister swore my life away. She swore without a doubt.
She swore I was the very man that laid her sister out.

And now they're going to hang me, a dreadful death to die.
And now they're going to hang me between the earth and sky.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 12-Jun-02.

Subject: RE: Knoxville Girl ???
From: Gene Graham
Date: 08 Jun 97 - 01:10 AM

go to: http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie and you will find the LOUVIN BROTHERS VERSION there!

also set the AGE to 90 days and you can find THE WEXFORD GIRL.

Subject: RE: Knoxville Girl ???
From: Dale Rose
Date: 07 Jun 97 - 11:44 PM

Sorry about leaving off my name on the above. Maybe we need an addition to the program which won't allow the message to go through without the FROM: filled in!

Subject: RE: Knoxville Girl ???
From:
Date: 07 Jun 97 - 11:40 PM

This is been done many times~~I heard it performed live at the Ozark Folk Center on Wednesday. What I consider to be the best recorded version is by The Louvin Brothers on their Tragic Songs Of Life CD on Capitol 37380. It is a recent release, and should be readily available in most good music stores or from mail order services. As far as the words are concerned, I would have to dig out my old 45 EP album, since I have not yet purchased the CD. If no one else comes up with the words, I will find it and post the words in a few days. I may be able to find a few variants as well, if you are interested, the next time I go to work at the Resource Center.

Subject: Knoxville Girl ???
From: Jimmie
Date: 07 Jun 97 - 10:36 PM

Who sang it, where can I get the rest of the words, and where might I find the song, or a remake of it, on CD?

I met a little girl in Knoxville,
a town we all know well.
And every Sunday evening,
down at her (place) I'd dwell....

The song goes on to tell a sad story of how He killed the girl...Knoxville Girl...
Any help will be appreciated...
E-Mail [e-mail]

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: KNOXVILLE GIRL (from Louvin Bros.)
From: Gene Graham
Date: 13 Apr 97 - 01:17 PM

Note. REMEMBER! To first check the Digital Tradition Data Base! The keyword KNOXVILLE GIRL would have found 2 versions of the song; The Last Day Of November and The Oxford Tragedy.

THE KNOXVILLE GIRL - Recorded by The Louvin Brothers - Traditional

I [D] met a little [*DF#] girl in [D] Knox-[*DF#] ville
A [G] town we all know [D] well
And every [*DF#] Sunday [D] eve-[*DF#] ning
Out [E] in her home I'd [A7] dwell
We [D] went to [*DF#] take an [D] evening [*DF#] walk
A [G] bout a mile from [D] town
I picked a [*DF#] stick up [D] off the [*DF#] ground
And [A7] knocked that fair girl [D] down;

She fell down on her bended knees
For mercy she did cry
Oh, Willie dear, don't kill me here
I'm unprepared to die
She never spoke another word
I only beat her more
Until the ground around me
Within her blood did flow.

I took her by her golden curls
And I drug her 'round and 'round
Throwing her into the river
That flows through Knoxville town
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
With the dark and roving eyes
Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl
You can never be my bride.

I started back to Knoxville
Got there about midnight
My mother she was worried
And woke up in a fright
Saying, "Dear son, what have you done
To bloody your clothes so?"
I told my anxious mother
I was bleeding at my nose.

I called for me a candle
To light myself to bed
I called for me a handkerchief
To bind my aching head
Rolled and tumbled the whole night through
As troubles was for me
Like flames of hell around my bed
And in my eyes could see.

They carried me down to Knoxville
And put me in a cell
My friends all tried to get me out
But none could go my bail
I'm here to waste my life away
Down in this dirty old jail
Because I murdered that Knoxville girl
The girl I loved so well.

Note. Based on the old English Ballad of the Wexford Girl

Note. *DF# (Optional)

E A D G B E
o o 4 2 3 2

Visit the COWPIE at: http:www.roughstock.comCOWPIE

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Message transferred from another thread.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: Knoxville Girl
From:
Date: 13 Apr 97 - 12:51 PM

Would like the words to Knoxville Girl;

I met a little girl from Knoxville;
A town we all know well
And every Sunday evening down in her home I'd dwell....

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Message transferred from another thread.
-Joe Offer-