Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: keberoxu Date: 24 Jun 21 - 06:41 PM Davis was employed on passenger trains, yes? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,# Date: 22 Jun 21 - 12:13 PM The Ledford String Band (on Rounder 0008) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVWpIar2NHE |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,Mike Yates Date: 22 Jun 21 - 09:44 AM I seem to recall a similar and more up-to-date song - 'He's Coming from Vietnam' - on the Ledford Family album on Rounder (0008). |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,# Date: 22 Jun 21 - 01:41 AM Grayson And Whitter" "He's Coming To Us Dead" on the Victor 78 rpm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc5loYA0Zbw |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Thomas Stern Date: 21 Jun 21 - 08:40 PM recorded by Ron Thomason and Dry Branch Fire Squad GORDO 004 lp 1987 Strong at heart Bill Lowe & Ron Thomason Rounder CD Live At The Newburyport Firehouse Thirtieth Anniversary Special |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Jun 21 - 07:03 PM refresh |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,Don Reed Date: 03 Apr 13 - 02:14 PM I remember this old song from earliest childhood and can still see my Mother, born in 1905 in eastern Oklahoma, as she sat at the piano and sang the sad old song most of her life. I never knew whether it was a Civil War or WWI song and would be interested in knowing. There was no chorus to the song - each short stanza contained identical music, repeated over and over. Here are the words as I recall her singing them: Twas late one autumn evening, an old man feeble with age wandered into this village, from off a dusty stage "Is this the express office? I've come to meet my son They tell me that the train is due at this place half-past one" "You've made a slight mistake, sir, I wish for you to know, This is an express office, and not a train depot" "You do not understand me, sir the old man feebly said He's coming as no passenger, He's coming to me dead" Just then a whistle pierced the air, "The Express," someone cried, And then with slow and trembling steps, The old man passed outside And then, a casket in a box was lowered to the ground It was a rough and noisy crowd that quickly gathered round "Don't handle the lid so roughly, boys, It is our darling Jack He went away as you boys did, but you see how he's come back" "He's broken his dear old Mother's heart, and brought her warnings all true She told him that he'd come back dead when he joined those boys in blue" |
Subject: Lyr Add: ROUTE 1, BOX 144 (Johnny Cash) From: Gene Date: 26 Oct 11 - 04:51 AM ROUTE 1, BOX 144 As recorded by: Johnny Cash\ (Sung) His dying barely made the morning paper And they summed it up in twenty words or more Killed in action leaves wife and baby At Route 1 Box 144 (Narration) He grew up on a little farm just a couple of miles out of town As a boy he worked in his daddy's field And when his daddy could spare him He hired out to the neighbors For whatever they could pay him He was thought of as just average, a good boy Nothing more, the average amount of friends He married his high school sweetheart They brought a little plot of ground Couple of miles out of town, on a mailbox it said Route 1 Box 144 Well back in town there were very few people that really knew him Because he hardly ever came to town Except for maybe on Saturdays, Of course the usual crew was always there But he didn't spent a lot of times with the usual crew He took care of his business Bought what he had to have or could afford for his family And went back to his little farm With a baby on the way he went to the army and it was a short while That the news came that he was killed in action His body was sent back on a plane and then by train And then they brought the body from the train station To Route 1 Box 144 (Sung) He never did great things to be remembered He'd never been away from home before But you'd've thought that he was president or something At Route 1 Box 144 |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Gene Date: 26 Oct 11 - 04:45 AM Johnny Cash recorded a "heart rending song" of similar circumstances. Route 1 Box 144 Gene |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,Sue, L.A. Date: 26 Oct 11 - 02:04 AM There's an awesome bluegrass band based in L.A. called The Americans, I saw them on 10/21/11 for the first time, they're PHENOMENAL! One of their songs is Coming Home Dead. I didnt know what the song was about until I listened to it a few times. Such a great song, a real tear jerker. I came online hoping to find lyrics, and found your post here. I am posting this video for you guys, I hope you enjoy as much as I do. You can find this band on Facebook too. http://youtu.be/aVAA0WTaqUU Sue |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Dav From: TonyA Date: 03 Jan 11 - 08:06 PM quote: "There is nothing in the text of this song to link it unequivocally with either the Civil War or the Spanish-American War." 6-700,000 casualties in the Civil War, about half of them combat deaths, and more than half of them Union soldiers, or "boys in blue." - source 2,430 American casualties in the Spanish-American War, 385 of which were combat deaths - source |
Subject: Lyr Add: HE'S COMING TO US DEAD (Grayson, Whitter From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 14 Dec 10 - 08:23 PM The first recording was made by G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, 1927 Victor master 40303, released 1928 Victor 21139. Most 'folk' collections are based on this recording. The lyrics posted by Gene in 2006 are mostly correct; the following copied from Norm Cohen, Long Steel Rail, contains a few corrections. Cohen was uncertain about line one of the last verse. Lyr. Add: HE'S COMING TO US DEAD Sung by G. B. Grayson and Henry Whitter, 1927 One morning when the office had opened, a man quite old in years Stood by the express office, showing signs of grief and tears. When the clerk approached him, in trembling words did say, "I'm waiting for my boy, sir, he's coming home today." [Spoken:] Take warning from this song. "Well, you have made a slight mistake, and you must surely know, That this is a telegraph office, sir, and not a town depot. "If your boy is coming home," the clerk in smiles did say, "You'll find him with the passengers, at the station just o'er the way." Take warning, folks. "You do not understand me, sir," the old man shook his head, "He's not a-coming as a passenger, but by express instead." Take warning, good people. "He's coming home to mother," the old man gently said. "He's coming home in a casket, sir, he's coming to us dead." Then a whistle pierced their ears; "The express train," someone cried; The old man rose in a breathless haste and quickly rushed outside. Then a long white casket was lowered to the ground, Showing signs of grief and tears to those who'd gathered 'round. "Do not use him roughly, boys, it contains our darling Jack, He went away as you boys are, this way he's coming back. "He broke his poor old mother's heart, her sins have [?her fears have since] all come true. She said this the way he'd come back, when he joined the Boys in Blue." A lot of them come back that way, too. Pp. 300-303, with brief musical score. Cohen comments: " There is nothing in the text of this song to link it unequivocally with either the Civil War or the Spanish-American War." Norn Cohen, 1981, Long Steel Rail, University of Illinois Press. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 13 Dec 10 - 10:19 PM Molly O'Day also recorded another song on a very similar theme called "Teardrops Falling In The Snow". HERE |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 13 Dec 10 - 08:28 PM "The Express Office" (He is coming to us dead)", version from Randolph, is in the DT. Randolph printed two other versions, (Boy(s) in Blue. Score at Numachi. Also see post by Stewie. Lyrics to the Grayson and Whitter version are given in "Long Steel Rail," Norm Cohen, and in the Google excerpt on line; titled "He Is Coming to Us Dead)." They may have been the source of the "Boys in Blue" line in the last verse of some versions. Published 1899, both words and music credited to Gussie Davis (not seen). Cohen says Grayson's tune is simpler than the one writen by Davis. Norn Cohen speculates that there is an antecedent. |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE BOYS IN BLUE / THE EXPRESS OFFICE From: GUEST Date: 13 Dec 10 - 02:29 PM The Boys In Blue (The Express Office) The office was just open When a man quite worn in years, Upon his care-worn face He wore a sign of tears; And as the clerk approached him, With tear-dimmed eyes he said, "l am here to wait all for my son, He is coming home today." "This is not an express station, But just the town depot, And if your son is coming home," The clerk did smile and say, "You will find him at the station With the passengers on their way." "You do not rightly understand," The old man shook his head, He's not coming as a passenger But by express instead; He is coming home to mother," With tear dimmed eyes he said, "He is coming in his casket, He is coming to us dead." Just then the whistle pierced their ears. "The express!" somebody cried, With quickening steps the old man rose And quickly rushed outside; From the baggage car a long white box Was lowered down to them, The sight was most heart-rendering To all that stood around. "Don't handle it so roughly, It contains my dear son Jack, Who left us in his health and strength, See how he is coming back; He has broke his dear old mother's heart, Her words are coming true, For she told him he would come back dead If he joined the boys in blue." ####.... Variant of The Express Office written by Gussie L. Davis ©1899 ....#### Collected in 1951 from Francis O'Brien of Trepassy, NL, and published in MacEdward Leach And The Songs Of Atlantic Canada © 2004 Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive tamarasparkes@yahoo.ca...........my late Grandfather sang this his whole life and many came to hear it sang I have an MP3 of him singing basically this version if you would like a copy.Contact me at tamarasparkes@yahoo.ca for the MP3 and the words as he sang them, very similar to the words I posted. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: GUEST,999 Date: 18 Feb 10 - 12:37 AM November, 2006, The Tillinghast Collection JD and AC: you might want to google that. Please note the collection is in three pieces. See links near the top of the page. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead (Gussie L Davis) From: Artful Codger Date: 17 Feb 10 - 07:16 PM Yes, Gussie Lord Davis wrote both songs. He was most noted for writing tear-jerkers like this. He also wrote "One Little Word", which the Carters lifted and simplified (of course, without credit). |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: He Is Coming to Us Dead From: Jim Dixon Date: 17 Feb 10 - 10:14 AM The British Library Integrated Catalogue says that they have a copy of the sheet music of HE IS COMING TO US DEAD by Gussie L. Davis (New York: F. A. Mills, 1899). However, it is not viewable online and I have been unable to find it in the catalog of any other library. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Jim Dixon Date: 31 Aug 06 - 07:34 PM Stewie: Exactly which song were you referring to when you said "This song was written by Gussie Davis in 1899"? My research shows Gussie L. Davis wrote IN THE BAGGAGE COACH AHEAD, but that was 1896. Did he also write HE IS COMING TO US DEAD (which is clearly a different song)? I don't find any song by that title in the usual collections (Levy, Library of Congress, University of Indiana) although I have found lots of songs by Gussie L. Davis. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: GUEST,Ian Pittaway Date: 30 Aug 06 - 01:46 PM Reminds me of a song by Eric Bogle. I'll search for it if it turns out it isn't any of the others people have suggested. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: BTMP Date: 30 Aug 06 - 01:35 PM Yes, the Baggage Coach Ahead ... a great old ballad often performed by Mac Wiseman. Another Wiseman cover of the same ilk is the Little Box of Pine, where a son is coming home after dying in prison. Ironically, the warden had just received a note from the mother, asking when her boy would be sent home to her. The line goes,
She didn't know the angels had unlocked those prison gates; A sadder story never has been told. Great stuff ... Oh, man, I've got to go get my guitar and Jameson's ... |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: GUEST,Mrr Date: 30 Aug 06 - 09:56 AM Reminds me of The Baggage Coach Ahead... in the line where the man says She's dead in the coach ahead, we always envisioned her just sitting in a seat, dead. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Sorcha Date: 30 Aug 06 - 09:50 AM Now all we need is Hermie..... |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Snuffy Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:40 PM When I saw the thread title I thought it might be this one by Eric Bogle: THE HERO'S RETURN (BELFAST SONG) a.k.a My youngest son came home today |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Stewie Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:16 PM This song was written by Gussie Davis in 1899. The first recording was by Grayson and Whitter in Atlanta in October 1927. You can find it reissued on County CO-CD-3517. Norman and Nancy Blake have a beaut rendition on their recent 'Back Home in Sulphur Springs' album [Plectrafone Records 80302]. The song has been recorded with a variety of other titles such 'A Hero's Death' [Molly O'Day], 'The Boy in Blue' [Stuart Hamblin], 'Roamin' Jack' [Ted Hawkins Mountaineers]. [Info from Meade p 18]. --Stewie. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Peace Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:06 PM No problem. I have done that about twenty times. Bad of me not to compliment you finding it. Good one, Gene. (PS: I only know that about 'where it comes from' because Joe has had to tell me so many times.) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: GUEST,Gene Date: 29 Aug 06 - 08:04 PM Peace, David Ball had me in mind when he sang. I've Got A Thinkin' Problem... it slipped my mind to post the link gg |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Peace Date: 29 Aug 06 - 07:36 PM I think that is from www.playingbyear.com/songs/he-is-coming-to-us-dead |
Subject: Lyr Add: HE IS COMING TO US DEAD From: GUEST,Gene Date: 29 Aug 06 - 06:54 PM FOUND ONLINE... HE IS COMING TO US DEAD One morning when the office had opened a man quite old in years Entered the express office showing signs of grief and fear When the clerk approached him his trembling voice did say I'm waiting for my boy, sir he's coming home today You have made a small mistake and you must surely know This is the express office, sir and not a town depot If your boy is coming home this cold rainy day You'll find him with the passengers at the station just over the way You do not understand me, sir the old man shook his head He's not a-coming as a passenger but by express instead He's coming home to mother the old man gently said He's coming home in a casket, sir he's coming to us dead Just then a whistle pierced the ears the express came in on time The old man rose in a breathless haste and quickly rushed outside Then a long white casket was lowered to the ground The scene was filled with the grief and tears of those who gathered around Don't handle that box roughly, boys it contains our darling Jack He went away as you boys are see the way he's coming back He broke his poor mother's heart her saying's all come true She said, this is the way that he'd come back when he joined the boys in blue |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Phil Cooper Date: 29 Aug 06 - 06:11 PM Is it "Coming To Us Dead?" The 97th regiment string band (civil war re-enactors) did a version on their first recording. I, unfortunately, can only recall a few lines. something like: treat the coffin gently, it contains our son, Jack; He left the ways that you boys are, This way he's a-coming back. He broke his poor old mother's heart, her sayings have all come true, She said that's the way that he'd come home, If he joined the boys in blue. That's the tail end of the song. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: Sorcha Date: 29 Aug 06 - 05:03 PM Do you have any words at all? |
Subject: Lyr Req: son coming home in casket From: GUEST,hermie Date: 29 Aug 06 - 04:52 PM Does anyone know a song (a poem really) about a man going to the train station to pick up his son--it turns out his son was dead but this wasn't apparent until the end of the poem. I think Grandpa Jones used to do this but maybe it was someone else. |
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