Lonnie Donegan and his Tom Dooley song impressed me as a kid I sang it to my mums consternation and it has never left me mind (well it has for a long time, but I really enjoyed making this virile and hearing it again)
Lonnie Donegan (1931 - 2002)
In mid-1950s Britain before anyone in England had heard of rock 'n roll, Lonnie Donegan, the King of Skiffle, was the most exciting and most influential artist in the UK charts. His music had an enormous influence in a generation of British groups and artists including Tommy Steele, Billy Fury, the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Rolling Stones.
He started with British trombonist and band leader Chris Barber's jazz band playing the banjo.
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The real story of Tom Dula.
This is the story of a young confederate soldier, Tom Dooley, who returned to his home in Happy Valley on the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, North Carolina after the Civil War. Tom survived many battles but his claim to fame was his love of music. While in the army camp, it was Tom who would be found sitting around singing songs and picking his banjo.
Before the war, Tom, a happy-go-lucky young man, was very popular with the young ladies. Two of these young ladies were Laura Foster and her cousin Ann Foster. The girls were noted for their popularity and were well sought after by the local swains. They turned a lot of heads. Both girls became infatuated with Tom Dooley. He managed his time to be with both.
By the time the war was over, Ann's infatuation had come to an end and she married James Milton. On Tom Dooley's return Laura thought, with Ann married she would have a clear field with Tom. But Ann's love for Tom quickly returned when she saw the dashing young soldier and would have none of cousin Laura getting ahead of her. She thought with Laura out of the way she and Tom would get back together and she would marry him. Laura had many suitors. Among them was a schoolteacher, Bob Grayson who was \"smitten\" with her and wanted her for his wife.
Tom made arrangements with Laura to run away and get married. In the night she took what clothes she could carry on horseback and left home for her rendezvous with Tom.
She disappeared. Laura was eighteen at the time. Her family searched for her, but to no avail. As time went on, the people suspected she had run away with Tom Dooley. More search parties were formed and about three weeks after Laura disappeard, her horse returned, guant and with a broken halter. The searchers found where the horse had been tied to a tree. The soil was disturbed with horse tracks. After more search, some people thought Laura's body had been disposed of in the Yadkin River.
Some time later, Ann got into an argument with her sister, Perline Foster. Ann was deeply critical of her sister. Perline warned Ann that she better be careful or she would tell what she knew about Laura. Ann answered that Perline was just as guilty as she was. The authorities became suspicious of the two girls and began to question them. Perline became scared and broke down. She said Tom Dooley had killed Laura, that Ann took her to the site of the grave. Perline directed the search party to the place of burial. The search party spread out over the entire area. James Melton, James Isbell, David Horton and Bob Grayson were in the search party. James Isbell's horse shied from an area with loose dirt
The crowd started digging and found the body of Laura Foster. Her legs had been broken and what appeared to be a stab wound was found in her breast. Also found was the small bag of Laura's clothing. There was no doubt, it was Laura.
TOM DOOLEY
(Traditional)
The Kingston Trio - 1957 sang this song originally.
ORIGINAL VERSION:
Chorus:
Hang your head, Tom Dooley
Hang your head and cry
Killed poor Laura Foster
And you know you're bound to die
You took her on the hillside
And begged to be excused
You took her on the hillside
Then hid her clothes and shoes
You dug her grave four feet wide
Dug it three feet deep
Rolled the cold clay over her
And tromped it with your feet
(chorus)
Took her on the hillside
Stabbed with a knife
Took her on the hillside
And then you took her life
Trouble, oh it's trouble
A-rollin' through my breast
As long as I'm a-livin', boys
They ain't a-gonna let me rest
(chorus)
This time tomorrow morning
Where do you reckon I'll be
Down in some lonesome valley
Just swinging from a white oak tree
You can take down my old violin
And play it all you please
For at this time tomorrow morning
It'll be of no use to me
(chorus)
I know they're gonna hang me
Tomorrow I'll be dead
Though I never even harmed a hair
On poor little Laurie's head
In this world and one more
Then reckon where I'll be
If it wasn't for Sheriff Grayson
I'd be in Tennesee
(chorus)
