- This article is about the song. For soccer player, see Thomas Dooley.
Tom Dooley is the historical subject of an old North Carolina folk song. Laura Foster was murdered in 1866 in Wilkes County, and Tom Dooley was convicted of the crime and hanged. Local legend holds that Tom Dooley's love Annie Melton may have actually killed Foster, and that the sheriff who took custody of Dooley and presided over the hanging, Sheriff Grayson, was jealous of Dooley. These events are described in the doleful ballad that is still commonly sung in North Carolina, which was made popular by a 1952 recording by the Kingston Trio.
Here are the lyrics to the song:
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley
- Hang your head and cry
- You killed poor Laurie Foster
- And you know you're bound to die
- You left her by the roadside
- Where you begged to be excused
- You left her by the roadside
- Then you hid her clothes and shoes
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley
- Hang your head and cry
- You killed poor Laurie Foster
- And you know you're bound to die
- You took her on the hillside
- For to make her your wife
- You met her on the mountain
- And stabbed her with your knife
- You dug the grave four feet long
- And you dug it three feet deep;
- You rolled the cold clay over her
- And tromped it with your feet.
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
- Hang your head and cry;
- You killed poor Laurie Foster,
- And you know you're bound to die.
- "Trouble, oh it's trouble
- A-rollin' through my breast;
- As long as I'm a-livin', boys,
- They ain't a-gonna let me rest.
- I know they're gonna hang me,
- Tomorrow I'll be dead,
- Though I never even harmed a hair
- On poor little Laurie's head."
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
- Hang your head and cry;
- You killed poor Laurie Foster,
- And you know you're bound to die.
- "In this world and one more
- Then reckon where I'll be;
- If is wasn't for Sheriff Grayson,
- I'd be in Tennesee.
- You can take down my old violin
- And play it all you please.
- For at this time tomorrow, boys,
- It'll be of no use to me."
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
- Hang your head and cry;
- You killed poor Laurie Foster,
- And you know you're bound to die.
- "At this time tomorrow
- Where do you reckon I'll be?
- Away down yonder in the holler
- Hangin' on a white oak tree.
- Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
- Hang your head and cry;
- You killed poor Laurie Foster,
- And you know you're bound to die.
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