Album: The Kingston Trio (1958)

Charted: 5 1

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• "Throughout history there have been many songs
  Written about the eternal triangle
  This next one tells the story of a Mr. Grayson
  A beautiful woman, and a condemned man named Tom Dooley
  When the sun rises tomorrow, Tom Dooley must hang"
  
  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
  
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Hang down your head and cry (ah-uh-eye)
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Poor boy, you're bound to die
  
  This time tomorrow reckon where I'll be
  Hadn't-a been for Grayson, I'd-a been in Tennessee (well now, boy)
  
  Hang down (your head) your head (Dooley) and cry
  Hang down your head and cry (ah, poor boy, ah, well-ah)
  Hang down (your head) your head (Dooley) and cry
  Poor boy, you're bound to die (ah, well now, boy)
  
  Hang down (your head) your head (Dooley) and cry
  Hang down your head and cry (ah, poor boy, ah, well-ah)
  Hang down (your head) your head (Dooley) and cry
  Poor boy, you're bound to die
  
  This time tomorrow reckon where I'll be
  Down in some lonesome valley hangin' from a white oak tree
  
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Hang down your head and cry (ah-uh-eye)
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Poor boy, you're bound to die (ah, well now, boy)
  
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Hang down your head and cry (poor boy, ah, well uh)
  Hang down your head, Tom Dooley
  Poor boy, you're bound to die
  Poor boy, you're bound to die
  Poor boy, you're bound to die
  Poor boy, you're bound to die Writer/s: Alan Lomax, Frank Warner, John A. Lomax
  Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, T.R.O. INC.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Barry from Sauquoit, NyBob Shane, the last surviving original member of the popular folk group the Kingston Trio and the lead singer on their million-selling ballad “Tom Dooley”, passed away at the age of 85 on January 26th, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona...
  Between 1958 and 1963 the Kingston Trio had seventeen records on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Tom Dooley", for one week on November 17th, 1958...
  Besides the above "Tom Dooley", their other Top 10 record was "The Reverend Mr. Black", it peaked at #8 for one week on May 12th, 1963...
  They also had five albums that peaked at #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Albums chart...
  May Mr. Shane R.I.P.
  
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 3, 1959, the Kingston Trio appeared on the cover of the August 3rd issue of Life* magazine...
  At the time the trio's "M.T.A." was at #30 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, three weeks earlier it had peaked at #15 {for 1 week} and it spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
  Between 1958 and 1963 the trio had seventeen records on the Top 100, two made the Top 10, "Tom Dooley" peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on November 17th, 1958 and "The Reverend Mr. Black" reached #8 {for 1 week} on May 12th, 1963...
  * http://www.oldlifemagazines.com/august-03-1959-life-magazine.html
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyHere's some obscure trivia:
  On February 3rd 1690, the Massachusetts colony issued America's first paper money, used to pay soldiers who were fighting in the war against Quebec...
  And two hundred-seventy three years later on January 20th, 1963 the Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #96; seven weeks later on March 10th it would peak at #21 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for11 weeks...
  The trio's next release, "The Reverend Mr. Black" would reach #8* and it also spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
  R.I.P. Dave Guard {1934 - 1991}, Nick Reynolds {1933 - 2008}, and Bob Shane, born Robert Castle Schoen, celebrated his 82nd birthday two days ago on February 1st {2016}...
  * Their other Top 10 record was "Tom Dooley"; it peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on November 17th, 1958.
• Brady from Niagara Falls, NyAll this time I thought this was a song about Tom Dooley, the famous Doctor of "Medico,' served in Laos and died of Cancer at 34 years of age.
  A very courageous man; Thank You Songfacts and Daniel of Salem, Or. for the truth
• Francis from Philly, PaExcellent band, however I have been told several times that he was not actually the person who killed her.
• Guy from Woodinville, WaThe first song I remember hearing my parents play as a child an still one of my favorites. Such a perfect rendition of a mysterious circumstances, and what harmonies! Only equaled by the Beatles & Beach Boys. The Kingston Trio rule!

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