paducah brown, shot for selling liquor

12 Dec 25 - 09:36 AM (#4232872)
Subject: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: GUEST,walter reitman

Hello friends,

I’m searching for a great prohibition era ballad I heard in the late 1940s or early 1950s, and I'm afraid of it being lost. It told the story of a man named Paducah Brown, who was “shot for selling likka.” (or maybe liquor)

The verses were brisk and descriptive, and the chorus began with his name, stated his fate, repeated his name, and ended on a low final note. The melody rose sharply at the start of the chorus and walked down stepwise at the end.

I remember the first and second stanzas, and the repeating chorus, clearly, and I can describe the melodic contour in detail. If anyone has ever heard a version of this song, or knows of a field recording, broadside, regional variant, or just a written record of some or all of the words, I would be deeply grateful to know about it.

Thank you for helping keep a wonderful piece of American memory alive.

—Walter Reitman

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12 Dec 25 - 03:42 PM (#4232891)
Subject: RE: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: GerryM

"I remember the first and second stanzas...." If you remember those lyrics, it would help if you would post them.

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12 Dec 25 - 05:04 PM (#4232898)
Subject: RE: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: Joe Offer

Google AI gives an interesting answer:

The person you're likely thinking of is Albert L. Brown, a Prohibition Agent shot and killed in 1930 in Kentucky while trying to arrest bootlegger Rodney Selby for selling liquor (or "likka") to agents, with Selby getting the fatal shot after selling them "four shots of liquor". "Paducah Brown" isn't the name, but Paducah is a major city in Kentucky where the ATF has a strong presence, and Albert Brown died in the line of duty in that state, fitting the description of being shot over moonshine/liquor.

Adding the word "song," I got this:

The song you're likely thinking of is "Paducah" by The Handsome Family, which tells a dark, folk-story about a man named Paducah Brown who gets shot after selling "likker" (liquor) in a tough town, capturing that classic eerie, narrative country/Americana feel. It's a well-known song in that genre, fitting your description perfectly.

I looked through stuff on "The Handsome Family," and I couldn't find anything that fits the description. Please post what you have so far, and maybe we can help ou find the rest.

Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor

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12 Dec 25 - 07:39 PM (#4232901)
Subject: RE: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: pattyClink

Oh dear, hate to see anything posted that AI cooked up, unless it's been verified by real sources.

If it happens to be a hallucination/made up story, posting it here will give it creedence and next thing you know it's accepted fact.

Mindat.org's founder did an experiment and discovered AI literally made up a mineral name and references.

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13 Dec 25 - 02:31 AM (#4232909)
Subject: RE: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: Joe Offer

Well, Patty, we use any tool we can find when we don't have an answer. The AI gave us lots of leads to follow, but not any final information.
I worked for 25 years as a federal investigator and 35 years as a song investigator. Leads is good.
-Joe-

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13 Dec 25 - 05:37 PM (#4232938)
Subject: RE: paducah brown, shot for selling liquor
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch

I have kinfolk in Paducah, KY. They've never heard of song or story. The one search result I get for "Paducah Brown" is this thread.

Oddly enough otoh, now that it's mentioned, the "Walter Reitman" is a familiar American name from the earliest days of AI.

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