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happy? - July 22 (Dillinger/Lady in red) Related threads: Songs about John Dillinger (22) Happy! - June 28 (John Dillinger) (1) Lyr Req: Gene Autry's song Dillinger (13)
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Subject: happy? - July 22 (Dillinger/Lady in red) From: Abby Sale Date: 22 Jul 05 - 11:00 AM John Herbert Dillinger died 7/22/1934 in Chicago. (b.6/28/1902, qv). Indiana police conspired to have one Anna Sage, a friend & brothel madam (the well-publicized "lady in red") draw Dillinger to the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, where, on emerging, he was shot a lot.
In 1968, this was the first song I ever learned from esteemed folklorist, balladeer and "Finest Kind"er, Dr I. Sheldon Posen. It appears in Randolph/Legman Vol I ("Unprintable") on p246. "Lady" was collected from a 20-year-old college girl in 1946. Legman notes that the 15-cent price is part of the joke as it is ludicrously low. Typical depression-era low-cost fee was about $2, rising to $5 with the War. He suggests that the song may include the hidden admonition "that the reward of sin may not always necessarily be death, but it ain't much." Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved What are Happy's all about? See Clicky |
Subject: RE: happy? - July 22 (Dillinger/Lady in red) From: Big Al Whittle Date: 22 Jul 05 - 07:34 PM Yeh Purvis and Hoover duped her - the price for turning in Public Enemy number one didn't even include being allowed to stay in the Staes - she was deported soon afterwards. title track from my album St Peter and John Dillinger Spoken Preamble: It was a hot July night, 1934..... When the gates of Paradise suddenly flung open, And there..... standing before his maker, Was the famous American bank robber and outlaw....... Jo-ohn Dillinger. Only a few minutes before John Dillinger had been walking down a Chicago alleyway. Down off Lincoln Avenue When he had been ambushed Shot to death by Federal agents Now from his poor broken body - Rose the immortal soul of John Herbert Dillinger Transfigured and radiant, Clothed in heavenly rainment, But still carrying a tommy gun - And looking like-a one mean dude..... Hoosier? asked St Peter John Dillinger said, that's me I'm from Mooresville, Indiana In the land of the brave and free Old Man, look down from these lofty clouds To shy town, Illinois You'll see 'kerchiefs dipped in my life blood Such a blessed man was I Hoosier? asked St Peter Dillinger said, it's what you heard me say I'm from Mooresville, Indiana In the good old US of A And if you kneel down for forgiveness I might forgive you all God's sins All those years in America When the working man couldn't win St Peter said, You tryin' to pull somethin' Johnnie Dillinger, pretendin' that you're some kind of saint You know it takes one of those to know one, cos I'm one and you sure ain't Well hold it, said Johnnie I was surrounded by enemies like our Lord, Oh shot down and left to die, By J Edgar Hoover's dirty dogs, the men they call the FBI Well time don't mean a deal round here Johnny, said St Peter, Fact is, J Edgar Hoovers already here I gave a him a job. just yesterday, as an angel - look! he's dancing on a cloud over there. Seeing as you know him so well...... you could be a sort of double act, right? Two Johns dancing on a cloud together, just spreading pure sweetness and light Yeh,dancing on a cloud with J Edgar Hoover, jest spreading pure sweetness and light You made J Edgar Hoover an angel, now you shoulda seen John Dillinger's dis-tress St Peter said, hey man...you know I couldn't stop him.....! Got real excited when he was tryin' on the dress Round here you'd be like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, put on a te-rrific show You'll have an eternity to practice.... that's when Dillinger thundered No! He said, Hey! I'm Dillinger the Bank Robber, and I don't like to brag But its not my idea of heaven, up on a cloud with some old fag And you can't make me, but St Peter said, I think you'll find I can And who said anything about heaven for you, you naughty naughty man. So brothers and sisters now listen and pay the good book mind Damnation comes in lots of ways, and shapes and forms and kinds Don't rob banks, or fire tommy guns from the running board of a car Or you could end up like Poor Johnny Dillinger dancing with your bête noire Hoosier? asked St Peter John Dillinger said, that's me I'm from Mooresville, Indiana In the land of the brave and free But if you look down from these lofty clouds To shy town, Illinois You'll see 'kerchiefs dipped in my life blood Such a blessed man was I © Alan Whittle 12/02/2005 18:10:52 Dance on the the two Johns all the best al |
Subject: RE: happy? - July 22 (Dillinger/Lady in red) From: Abby Sale Date: 22 Jul 05 - 08:57 PM Good song. Thanx for posting it. |
Subject: RE: happy? - July 22 (Dillinger/Lady in red) From: Big Al Whittle Date: 23 Jul 05 - 07:34 AM Try the novel Handsome Harry, about Harry Pierpont. Dillinger's mentor. Also Lori Hyde's website about Harry http://www.geocities.com/pierpont_2001/pierpontpage.html all the best big al whittle |
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