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lyrics

16) Jaloeb Corley
m.litton

Jaloeb Corley was his name, he weren’t one of fame,
I knew ‘im back when I’s a lad of 10 and he was 40.
He rode from the distance as he came to our town
All the people stood back from him
And even the ol’ hounds they did howl
For y’all see, Corley was a hangman
Jaloeb his name and he was a hangman

It was in my day a poor man could hang
For layin’ a hand before the weddin’ band on a high-born dame
His name was Jimmy Sage and they charged him in the rape
Of Beau Fontaine’s black-eyed daughter of 15 years
They stood Jimmy up in a barroom trial
They stood Jimmy up an’ he cried like a child

The day of the hangin’ was clear ‘n cold with the rope
Set to strike poor Jimmy’s young neck like a long dull knife
When they set Jimmy swingin’ the crowd sang shrill
The sky fell black an’ down the street come a blowin’ chill
For Jimmy was not brave, he screamed to his grave
No, Jimmy was not brave, he screamed to his grave

When the deed it was done the children went runnin’
And the old men cursed Mr. Corley’s purse of 50 dollar gold
But Mr. Corley just sneered, he could smell their fear
As he stared back ‘n said, “Now he’s dead, what’s it matter you so”
And he drank his brandy all alone by the hotel window
And he drank his brandy all alone by the hotel window

The gibbous moon shone and the prairie wolves cried
As the winter clouds came and buried each shadow
And the night fell so blind
That next lone mornin’ it started to snow, I walked out back
Found a man dressed in black with his neck stretched long
Hanged from our tree I found Jaloeb Corley
Hanged from our tree I found Jaloeb Corley

credits

from It's a Short Life, released September 13, 2011

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The Gothic Cowboy/The Border Band Lawrence, Kansas

I'm a creekbank ghetto boy. Began my singin' near half a century ago in Canada, then hit northeast, down thru Nashville, Austin, out to Colorado and back to Kansas where I started out and will likely remain. My influences are Leadbelly, Jimmie Rodgers, CCR and The Band, while the juices of a hundred others flavor my music, not to mention the devil himself if that's what it takes to make a song... ... more

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