The Tragic Stuff of Songs

Subject: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 May 02 - 05:52 PM

In doing research for my family history book, I came across this site which chronicles the deaths in the line of duty of old-time peace officers in the early days of Colorado. This one struck me in particular with its poignancy of mistaken identity and good friends. Just seems like there's good stuff for a song there, and also in a few of the others which can be read at that site. Here it is:

Marshal Joseph Simons
Alamosa Police Department

On the night of September 7, 1897, two men were trying to gain entry into the home of O. P. Brown. Brown chased the men away, but one of them threatened to return and shoot him. A little later, Brown saw a man whom he supposed to be the man who had threatened him, and he fired at the man with a shotgun. This man was not the person who had threatened him; it was Marshal Simons who had come to investigate the disturbance. Simons exonerated Brown before he died, as the two had been friends for years.

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 May 02 - 05:55 PM

kat - if this turns into an anti-gun thread, I will never forgive you. Maybe Aine would be willing to have a less than humorous Challenge???

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 May 02 - 05:58 PM

Oh shit, Sins, it'd better not, that was not my intention! I was hoping nobody would bring it up.:-)

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 May 02 - 03:27 PM

This isn't anti-gun, it's anti shoot-first-and-exonerate-later!

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 23 May 02 - 04:02 PM

I'd imagine that a song about it would be hard put not to have an implicit criticism of poor old OP Brown's actions, and regret that he had a gun in his hand. There's a lot to be said for saying that in song rather than in prose.

But the key element for a song, would be that Joseph Simons "exonerated Brown before he died". That's the heart of the song.

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 23 May 02 - 05:17 PM

I've been away for a week and when I got back found a pm from Mountain Boy, asking me if I'm the same Jerry Rasmussen that was singing a song in Greenwich Village in the early 60's called The Death Of Colonel Solomon P. Sharp. No one would be likely to think up a title of a song like that. I read an old newspaper from Kentucky, dated sowmehere back in the eighteen hundreds about the shocking murder of Colonel Sharp. I was intrigued by the story (he was awakened from his sleep at 2 in the morning by a stranger looking for a place to stay who, without warning, swore at him and stabbed him in the stomach as he stepped into the house. Colonel Sharp died in the doorway, with his wife holding him with his children in shock, standing around him. The killer actually gave his name, but got away and was never found. The treat about writing the song was that I was able to use much of the same language that was in the article. As the article said, the killing was "a blow to all that's sacred in our lives." Colonel Sharp died "Still warm from his loving wife's arms."

The amazing thing for me is that I haven't sung that song in 40 years, and the friend of the person who asked about me lives in Colorado and I haven't heard from him since the mid-60's. I was his Best Man at his wedding. Only goes to show how music never ceases to amaze!

Jerry

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: Wesley S
Date: 23 May 02 - 05:28 PM

Well c'mon Jerry - let's see the rest of the song !

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 May 02 - 05:39 PM

Yea, Jerry! Great story but ya gotta share! Purty please?:-)

McGrath, that was what struck me, too, the tragedy seemed even more so with that exoneration.

Thanks, ya'll

kat

Subject: RE: The Tragic Stuff of Songs
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 24 May 02 - 12:01 AM

Kat 'n Wesley:
Here's as much as I've been able to dredge up today...

"It was two o/clock that night, he had just turned out the light
Colonel Solomon P. Sharpe had gone to bed
When a knock disturbed his rest, he arose and quickly dressed
And when he reached the door, a strange voice to him said

"Oh, my name's John Covington, and I've just arrived in town
And I'm looking for a place where I might stay"
The Colonel's wife was by his side, and to this she did reply
"Oh, Solomon, please turn this man away"

But the colonel turned from his wife, and ignored her good advice
For he'd never turn a stranger from his door
To the stranger he did say, "I've a room where you may stay
Just come along and bother me no more"

He was standing in the dark, and he turned to Colonel Sharpe
And the Colonel said, "You're face I've never seen"
As he stepped in through the door, he turned to him and swore, "Damn you, well you soon will know me"

Covington without alarm, grabbed the Colonel by the arm
And plunged the fatal weapon in his side
As he fell unto the floor, he knew he'd rise no more
And it was there that Colonel Sharpe was doomed to die

A handkerchief was found, lying there upon the ground
All covered with the blood of Colonel Sharp
But John Covington escaped, out the door and through the gate
And disappeared forever in the dark

The last verse(which I'm still trying to piece together in my mind) goes approximately like this...

First line isn't coming to me...
Still warm from the embraces of his wife
With his children standing near, everything that we hold dear
It's a blow to all that's sacred in this land

Other than the first verse of the last line, I believe these are the correct words. I'm a little surprised that I was able to pull this much out of my head because I haven't sung the song in close to thirty years. I'd forgotten all about it, and certainly never expected anyone to remember it.

I'll close with the chorus of another song that NO ONE will remember...

"And what can you say when you've sung the last song?
And the band is all packed up and ready to leave?
Just bid them goodnight, and turn off the light
And say a prayer for the sailors at sea

Jerry