'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'

Subject: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Paul Jay
Date: 15 May 99 - 11:58 PM

I was at a studio opening tonight with a friend playing for background. We did Stagolee and then Duncan & Brady and somewhere lost some verses that has to do with a Doctor arriving at the scene. We forgot (age will do that to you) some of the verses for each one. Upon searching the database I found the abridged version of each. If ayone has more verses than those one the database please post. Thanks Paul

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 16 May 99 - 01:47 PM

The "doctor" verse that I know in "Duncan and Brady" says:

Brady, Brady was a big fat man;
The doctor caught ahold of Sheriff Brady's hand.
He felt for the pulse, and then he said,

Well, I believe it to my soul that Sheriff Brady is dead!
He's been on the job too long.

Sandy

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 16 May 99 - 02:05 PM

Sorry about the extra line break. Oh, well....

Subject: Lyr Add: DUNCAN AND BRADY (from Tom Rush)
From: Tiger
Date: 16 May 99 - 02:37 PM

There are two versions in the database. Dave Van Ronk has a nice version, but the one I like best is by Tom Rush. It goes like this here (Just waitin' for it to come around again on the guitar, in A):

.....Tiger

DUNCAN AND BRADY- Tom Rush

Well, it's twinkle, twinkle, little star,
Along come Brady in his 'lectric car,
Got a mean look right in his eye,
Goin' to shoot somebody, just to see him die.
(Been on the job too long.)

(……………line not sung…………………)
And bustin' in here while my game was goin' on,
Breakin' down my window, smashin' down my door,
Now, you lyin' dead on that barroom floor.
(Been on the job too long.)

Sayin' Old King Brady was a big fat man,
Doctor reached out, grabbing hold of his hand,
Felt for his pulse, "Doctor," he said,
"I believe, to my soul, King Brady's dead.
(Been on the job too long.)

Said high-tailed carriages standin' all around,
Just takin' Brady to his buryin' ground,
High-tailed carriages, rubber-tired hack,
Now take him to the graveyard, ain't goin' to bring him back.
(Been on the job too long.)

All of the women, thinkin' Brady was dead,
All went home, dresses in red,
Come slippin', slidin, shufflin' down the street,
In their big Mother Hubbard and their stocking feet.
(Been on the job too long.)

Well, it's Brady, Brady, Brady,
Bustin' in here while the game was goin' on,
Breakin down the window, smashing down the door,
Now you dead on that barroom floor.
(Been on the job too long.)

(Been on the job too long.)

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: JOField
Date: 16 May 99 - 09:21 PM

Brady, Brady, Brady, see what you done.

Bustin' in here...etc.

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Paul Jay
Date: 16 May 99 - 10:06 PM

Thanks Sandy, Tiger, JOField. Just the verses I was looking for.

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Paul Jay
Date: 16 May 99 - 10:06 PM

Thanks Sandy, Tiger, JOField. Just the verses I was looking for.

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Ewan McVicar
Date: 17 May 99 - 04:43 AM

I can't bring to mind whose 1960s recording I glommed it from, but my often faulty memory says that the record label gave 'composer' credit to Paul Campbell.

I've always sung that elusive first line as
Brady, Brady, Brady don't you know you done wrong

I then proceed as follows :
Comin in my grocery while the game was goin on
Broke down my windows, shot down my door
Now you're lying dead upon the barroom floor
I've a notion the windows / doors line was slightly amended by me many years ago.

The ferocious edge of this song is such that the smoother way that bluegrass groups deal with it these days feels to me like a loss in the family.

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From:
Date: 19 Feb 04 - 03:34 PM

Both stories from St. louis. Officer Brady was shot by a black man named duncan in 1890. stagolee,shot billy lyons christmas day 1895

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 19 Feb 04 - 04:26 PM

Duncan Duncan was tendin' bar
When in walked Brady with his shinin' star
He said Duncan Duncan you're under arrest
And Duncan shot a hole in Brady's chest.
John

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: GUEST,Tim
Date: 12 Aug 05 - 11:28 AM

Dredged from an aging memory too, the version I recall is from a wonderful folk, blues, country, bluegrass singer /guitarist named Phil Buss. Phil performed in Madison, WI through the '70s putting power and humor into Duncan & Brady and a sensible hodgepodge of American music. I heard he has since died and left the world a less interesting place.

Phil told me he got his version from Van Ronk, but it undoubtably changed in the process:

Duncan Duncan was a-tendin' bar
In come Brady with his shinin' star
Brady said to Duncan, you're under arrest,
Duncan shot a hole right in Brady's chest.

Old King brady was a big fat man,
Doctor come in and took a hold on his hand,
Felt for his pulse, Doctor said,
"Now I believe unto my soul old king Brady is dead."

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 10:24 AM

Can anyone post the appropriate chord progression for this? Specifically (if there's a difference) I think of the Van Ronk version.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 10:25 AM

Just re-reading. When I say "chord progression for this" I mean Duncan & Brady, not Stagolee.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: 'Stagolee' and 'Duncan & Brady'
From: GUEST,Grateful Fred
Date: 13 Aug 05 - 02:38 PM

Just a bit of general insight about this subject. There is easy access
to almost all the previous generation's recordings. People like Leadbelly, Blind Blake, Lemon Jefferson, Willy McTell, Woody Guthrie
and the list goes on and on. The later people are great entertainers or singers or whatever, but, if you're going to PERFORM these things
there is nothing quite like the original source. I know the words are
sometimes hard to understand, it was hard for the younger generation too and YOU might be able to pick up on something the rest of them
didn't get right. Think about it.