Lyrics

13) Jaloeb Corley - m.litton

Jaloeb Corley was his name, he weren’t on of fame
I knew him back when I’s a lad of 10 ‘n 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, Corely was the hangman
Jaloeb his first name and he was a hangman

It was in my day when a man could hang
For takin’ swim ‘n playin’ Huck Finn with a local rich dame
His name was Jimmy Sage and they charged him with rape
Of ol’ man Slate’s black-eyed daughter of fifteen years
They stood Jimmy up in a barroom trial
They stood Jimmy up ‘n he walked the last mile

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 ‘n down the street came 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 was done the chikdren 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 from his hotel window
Yes, he drank his brandy all alone from his hotel window

Now the gibbous moon shone ‘n the prairie wolves cried
The winter clouds came, buried each shadow ‘n the night fell blind
That next lone morning as it started to snow
I walked out back, found a man dressed with his neck stretched long
Hanged from our tree, I found Jaloeb Corley
Hanged from our tree, I found Jaloeb Corley