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Charles Guiteau (song)
Folk song about assassination of Garfield From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Charles Guiteau" (Roud 444, Laws E11) is a traditional folk song about the assassination of US President James A. Garfield by Charles J. Guiteau. It is based on another old ballad, "James A. Rogers".[1][2] The song is told from the point of view of the assassin himself.[3]
For a while, it was believed that Guiteau wrote the song himself, possibly because of the poem "I am Going to the Lordy", which Guiteau actually did write on the day of his execution.[4]
It is not to be confused with another ballad about the assassination, "Mr. Garfield," which was popularized by Johnny Cash.[3] Bascom Lamar Lunsford recorded both songs in 1949 for the Library of Congress.[3]
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Recordings
- Norman Blake
- Bascom Lamar Lunsford on Songs and Ballads of American History and the Assassination of Presidents recorded 1949, released by Library of Congress 1952, re-released by Rounder 1998
- Kelly Harrell 1927 on Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian Folkways 1997
- Ramblin' Jack Elliot circa 1955 on compilation Badmen, Heroes and Pirates, mono LP release (out of print)
- Tom Paley & Joe Locker on Sue Cow Argos 1969
- Dave Fredrickson and Crabgrass, circa 1960, on Arhoolie LP 4001, reissued on CD 518-B in conjunction with book Hear Me Howling! Blues, Ballads & Beyond, recorded by Chris Strachwitz with text by Adam Machado (El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Productions, 2010).
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See also
References
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