Hang Down Your Head Tom Dula

Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Poor boy, you're bound to die.

It's the most famous murder ballad in American folk music history. And chances are, if you know it, you know the version popularized by the Kingston Trio. Their recording of the song became a major commercial hit in 1958, selling over 6,000,000 copies. That hit single spawned a movie and helped spark the folk music revival of the 1960s. How did the song make its way to the Kingston Trio? Therein hangs a tale.

May 1st marked the 140th anniversary of the criminal execution of North Carolinian ex-Confederate soldier Tom Dula. Not Tom Dooley? Think of the written word opera pronounced opry, as in Grand Ole Opry. Standard regional southern Appalachian pronunciation at work. So the Kingston Trio simply transcribed the name as it sounded to them.

Dula was hanged for the murder of his lover Laura Foster. The two lived in the North Wilkesboro, NC area.

For the rest of the story: Click Here.

Here are the lyrics as made famous by the Kingston Trio:

TOM DOOLEY
Frank Warner/John Lomax/Alan Lomax

(Spoken recitation over musical accompaniment)
Throughout history, there have been many songs written about the eternal triangle. This next one tells the story of Mister Grayson, a beautiful woman, and a condemned man named Tom Dooley. When the sun rises tomorrow, Tom Dooley must hang.

Chorus:
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley.
Hang down your head and cry.
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley.
Poor boy, you're bound to die.

I met her on the mountain.
There I took her life.
Met her on the mountain.
Stabbed her with my knife.

(Chorus)

This time tomorrow.
Reckon where I'll be.
Hadn't-a been for Grayson,
I'd-a been in Tennessee.

(Chorus)

This time tomorrow.
Reckon where I'll be.
Down in some lonesome valley
Hangin' from a white oak tree.

(Chorus)

For more on the history of the ballad, including several earlier variations: Click Here.

As good as the above web site is, however, it leaves out one very important variation, one which is particularly important in light of tomorrow's holiday:

Hang Down Your Head Tom Turkey

Narration: Down through history, there have been many songs about the eternal triangle. This song, however, has nothing to do with the eternal triangle. It's a song about the guest of honor at a Thanksgiving dinner. Tomorrow at sunrise, Tom Turkey will meet his maker...as well as the grandma who made the dressing and cranberry sauce!

Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Hang down your head and cry.
Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Poor bird, you're bound to die.

I reckon by tomorrow
I know just where I'll be:
On a silver platter,
Served up with brown gravy!

Hang down your head, Tom Turkey.
Hang down your head and cry.
Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Poor bird, you're gonna fry.

By this time tomorrow
The ax is gonna fall.
That's what I get for living
Here at Butterball!

Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Hang down your head and cry.
Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Dumb bird, you couldn't fly!

I know I am a turkey.
A turkey's what I am.
How I wish those Pilgrims
Had decided to have ham!

Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Hang down your head and cry.
Hang down your head Tom Turkey.
Poor bird, you're gonna die.
Poor bird, you're gonna fry.
Dumb bird, you couldn't fly!