Lyr Req/Add: Ghost of Thirsty Joe (Pat Clinton)

Subject: Lyr/Tune Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Jun 03 - 11:59 PM

John Benischek sang/told this in the late 70's at the Barbarossa in Chicago.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr/Tune Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 02 Jul 03 - 07:33 PM

Not Joe Offer, I trust?

Subject: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Sep 03 - 11:11 AM

... or maybe it's called the Ballad of Thirsty Joe.

I think a ghost is involved, can't remember much else... cowboys too I think, and a woman.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 11:18 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: Sorcha
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 11:21 AM

I didn't find anything. Sorry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 22 Sep 03 - 01:47 PM

Yeah, I didn't either.... but thanks. I think it will depend on someone actually knowing it.

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Sep 03 - 01:08 PM

... or maybe they were gold miners....

(refresh)

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Sep 03 - 05:32 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 02:24 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Oct 03 - 02:34 PM

strange - usally there is *something* out on the internet - but all I can find that looks anything like it may be related is a story of a thirsty kid pretending to hunt a lion...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 09:50 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 01:05 PM

Kevin Campion sings a bluesy/jazzy ballad called THIRSTY JOE on his album "Point of View." There are sound samples on his web page.

Now it's just half past two. Now I'm doin' my last tune.
Suddenly I'm weak in the knees, a strange sense of doom.
The clock just struck three as he walked into the room.

Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, yeah. Thirsty Joe is here.
He says, "Why drive home drunk in the dark? The sun's almost here.
You know the party's just startin' now that Thirsty Joe is here."

First Joe looked up at me, then down at my guitar....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 01:22 PM

Aa good song, but not "it"..... thanks, Jim.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 05:54 PM

The song, which I learned from John B. and still sing, has the ungainly title of "The Ballad of the Legend of Thirsty Joe's Revenge". I just call it "The Ghost of Thirsty Joe" when I sing it. It was written by Pat Clinton who, alas, now works in journalism rather than music. Journalism's gain. Songwriting's loss.

"I was sleeping by the fire,
On the plains of Idaho,
When I woke up with a start
And saw the ghost of Thirsty Joe,
Still bleeding where John Hannah's bullet,
Caught him in the chest.
He begged for me to get revenge,
And let him take his rest."

I'm hoping to be able to track down Pat Clinton so that I can record it. This is a great song and deserves to be heard.

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 05:56 PM

I'll post the rest of the lyrics tomorrow when I have more time.


Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 06:28 PM

They don't make HTML headline type big enough for my reaction to this!

So.... where did John B go???

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 07:17 PM

John B. went into the high tech. industries. The way I heard it, he was part of the team which designed the Palm Pilot.

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 07:29 PM

No kidding! I tried to Google him up one day but with no luck, unless he was in a hi-tech listing and I ignored it. Hey, if it's true, he's now a (rare) rich folkie. Maybe he'd like to fund the Old Folkie's Home.

~S~

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GHOST OF THIRSTY JOE (Pat Clinton)
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 10:29 PM

Okay. Here it goes. I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to get to this. Things have been a bit rushed lately.



THE GHOST OF THIRSTY JOE
by Pat Clinton

I was sleeping by the fire
On the plains of Idaho,
When I woke up with a start
And saw the ghost of Thirsty Joe,
Still bleeding where
John Hannah's bullet
Caught him in the chest.
He begged for me to get revenge
And let him take his rest.

I ain't known as any good man, I believe.
I've got notches on my pistol and aces up my sleeve.
But, I'd rather face the dyin' and the burryin' below
Than be haunted in my sleepin'
By the ghost of Thirsty Joe.

It was two or three weeks later
I drove the herd to town.
I stepped inside the barroom
And I bought the boys a round
When In walked old John Hannah
I turned to face him slow.
I said, "I've got a message
From your old friend Thirsty Joe."

His eyes were glzed with whiskey.
His face looked dead and grey.
He looked around for help
But, all his friends had turned away.
he turned and asked me,"Stranger,
How is my old friend?"
I said, "Old Joe is thirsty, still.
He's thirsty for revenge."

I ain't known as any boastful man, I guess.
I wear the scars of twenty towns
Where I was second best.
But about this time tomorrow when the sun begins to show
I recon you'll be dyin'
Just to please old Thirsty Joe.

I was waiting there the next day.
The morning light was dim.
I heard some steps behind me
And I reconed it was him.
I turned and said, "John Hannah,
I'm bound to take your life."
But when I turned it wasn't him.
It was John Hannah's wife.

She was an angel.
She would take your breath away.
She said, "I'm gonna haunt you
If you lay him in the clay."
I mounted without speaking and rode back to Idaho.
I rather would be haunted by the ghost of Thirsty Joe.

I ain't known as any sentimental man.
I put the past behind me as quickly as I can.
But, her face I still remember as I turned away to go.
At night time I'll describe it to
The ghost of Thirst Joe.
Yes, at night time I'll describe it to
My old friend Thirsty Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Thirsty Joe's Revenge
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Feb 05 - 10:57 PM

Ahhhhhhhhhh............ relief at last!   I remember it all now (not the tune)-- but the STORY of it, thank you so much!

~S~

Subject: RE: Req/ADD:Thirsty Joe's Revenge/Ghost of Thirsty Joe
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 06:57 PM

I've finally managed to track down Pat Clinton (the author of the song). He's given me permission to record it commercially, so it will be on my next CD.

Stephen lee

Subject: RE: Req/ADD:Thirsty Joe's Revenge/Ghost of Thirsty Joe
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 05 - 07:09 PM

Great news!

~S~