Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger

Subject: Lyr reqd. Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 08:04 PM

The lady who runs the John Dillinger/ harry pierpont site told me that Gene Autry wrote a song about Dillinger? I 'd never heard it - has somebody out there got the words?

I'm trying to write something myself, but I was trying to workout how well trod a path i was walking.

All the best

big al whittle

Subject: RE: Lyr reqd. Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Francy
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 08:23 PM

A 1999 recording by David Olney entitled "Through A Glass Darkly" has a song David wrote entitled "Dillinger"......Great song...extremely well written......Frank Of Toledo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 11:12 PM

Wilf Carter a.k.a. Montana Slim wrote and recorded THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JOHN DILLINGER, which appears in the Bear Family box set "Cowboy Songs." I transcribed this excerpt from a sound sample:

...manhunt, the greatest ever known.
With plots and plans to trap him, with brains and skill were shown.
His draw was fast as light'ning. Reward stood on his head.
"Go bring in this great criminal, whether he be alive or dead."
It happened in Chicago....

Frank Luther sings OUTLAW JOHN DILLINGER on the album, "Will the Angels Play Their Harps for Me." I have been unable to find any lyrics or sound files.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 12:59 AM

I have Wilf's version and pretty sure i have the Gene Autry version

will post lyrics later

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 02:30 PM

Many thanks guest Gene , and indeed to all of you . I am much indebted. You're absolute stars!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 11 Feb 05 - 03:57 PM

Wilf Carter can be heard singing this song on The Record Lady site.

http://www.recordlady.webgcs.com/main2.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 10:21 PM

From The Record Lady's All-Time Country Favorites, Requests Page 11:

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF JOHN DILLINGER
As sung by Wilf Carter

There's a home in Indiana, where once was sheer great joy,
Where parents loved and worshipped their curly-headed boy,
But very soon decided he'd take his father's name,
And follow in his footsteps. They wished on him great fame.

He soon grew into manhood and started out to roam,
And much against his parents, he left his friends and home.
He journeyed to the city. To him they did resign.
It soon led to his downfall. He committed his first crime.

The law was soon upon him. He landed up in jail.
His friends could not get pardon, nor could they go his bail.
One night he broke for freedom by using a wooden gun.
His guard was easy buffaloed. His clever trick had won.

And then began the manhunt, the greatest ever known.
With thoughts and plans to trap him with brains and skill were shown.
His draw was fast as lightnin'. Reward stood on his head.
Go bring in this great criminal, may he be alive or dead.

It happened in Chicago that's noted for its fame,
The home of noted gangsters where many a man is slain.
He was taken in a picture when a woman tipped the law.
Three bullets pierced his body. He had not a chance to draw.

The great manhunt is ended. The innocent must pay
When he had to stop a bullet that chanced to go astray.
So, young man, take my warning: this crime it does not pay,
When you think of Johnny Dillinger, when he met his fatal day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 12 Feb 05 - 10:45 PM

When I was a bunch of years younger and living in Chicago, the Biograph Theater, where Dillenger was killed, was right in the middle of the Lincoln Avenue folk scene district. Clubs like Somebody Else's Troubles, Orphans, and Holstein's were right across the street from the Biograph. Coming out of the night spots very late---2 to 4 AM---we'd often see a fellow out in front of the Biograph driving those small, round, lead fishing line weights into a wooden utility pole. He did that with a hammer and a screw driver of some kind.

The next day (or whenever), when the street was jammed with people, he could be seen digging laboriously at that pole. He told all who inquired, and there were many, that he was digging shot gun pellets out of the pole from the night the feds got John Dillinger. He never offered to sell those----but everyone insisted he did just that. And sell 'em he did!!! (This was in the 1970s and 1980s.)

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 13 Feb 05 - 05:29 PM

A great story Art. Thank you very much. I've done my first draft of MY Dillinger song now. Its a bit more off the wall. Thanks very much to you all. I heartily recommend the Dillinger site and the Harry Pierpont site. They are very interesting, and the recent book about Pierpont, Handsome Harry by James Carlos Blake. it was this that got me started on this path.

I will probably be putting the new song on my next album in a few weeks. As I only wrote it yesterday - I need to practise it a bit first.

best wishes to you all and thank you again

Big Al

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN DILLINGER (from Library of Congress)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 10:14 PM

The Library of Congress, in its "Voices from the Dust Bowl" collection, has the text of a song called JOHN DILLINGER that was collected from Frank Lankas of Gardenville, NY, c1941. It looks like they don't have a tune for this, though:

JOHN DILLINGER

John Dillinger, Johnny Dillinger, the G-men will chop you down.
Some of the things that you've done done have been makin' the government frown.
Your number's up. The word's gone round you won't be goin' back to jail.
You'll be a bullseye for the police and they'll throw the lead like hail.

John Dillinger, Johnny Dillinger, the finger will be laid on you,
And the G-man watchin' with his gun is goin' to get you, too.
When he stops you, Johnny, he's gonna stop you dead,
And head you out for the Golden Gate packin' a load of lead.

Oh, Billy the Kid and the Dalton boys and others of their kin
Were bad gunmen outside the law, but they were brave gunmen within.
Now, you know the old-time story how Billy met his end.
It's too late to change you now. So long, old friend.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN DILLINGER (from The Hillbilly Winos)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 10:48 PM

This song seems not to be about the real John Dillinger, but about a kid who fantasizes about being John Dillinger. It's a powerful song, though.

Lyrics copied from The Hillbilly Winos' website. You can also hear a sound sample on this page.

JOHN DILLINGER

I grew up near the cornfields that grew along the tracks
That followed muddy waters that flooded river shacks.
My mother was a junkie and she followed her own tracks
Up and down her forearms with a monkey on her back.
Well, I hated for my life and I prayed for something more.
I wandered to that river and I dreamed along her shore.

CHORUS: I wished I were John Dillinger. In an outlaw voice I'd cry:
"Superman, come kiss my ass, 'cause real men just don't fly!"
There are no easy answers and winners aren't nice guys.
Outlaws outlive heroes in the average man's eyes.

Sometimes I feel possessed by these ghosts out of the past,
Consumed by some old fire with an anger fierce and fast.
William Bonney had it, and Clyde and Bonnie too:
A feeling that this world ain't right but for a chosen few.
I wanna shoot out every window; I wanna tear down every wall,
And hold this world for ransom and die an outlaw. CHORUS

Each day I find a reason to stay this side of sane.
To keep from feeling hollow, I swallow down the pain.
These fires are always burning, and these ghosts out of the past
Cast a mighty shadow, and their memories always last.
When I hear a whistle blowing down along the tracks,
I think about that river and those days come flooding back. CHORUS

[Recorded by The Hillbilly Winos on "Live from the Living Room."]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 05 - 11:09 PM

DILLINGER (excerpt)
David Olney

...John's got a bottle and he's feelin' no pain,
Just the usual low-down misery.
"Hey, John, don't you think it's a cryin' shame,
A man lose a farm an' he ain't to blame?"
"They're suckers," says John Dillinger....

[Recorded by David Olney on "Through a Glass Darkly."]

* * *

According to The Folk Music Index, there is a songbook called "Old Fashioned Hymns and Mountain Ballads" by "Asher Sizemore and Little Jimmie", that contains a song called JOHN DILLINGER. The song is attributed to Rieley Lausch and Cliff Grey.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 15 Feb 05 - 04:17 PM

Many thanks

Big Al Whittle