Tom Dooley
The Kingston Trio · Other Songs - The Kingston Trio
Hang down your head and cry
Killed poor Laura Foster
You know you're bound to die
You took her on the hillside, as God almighty knows
You took her on the hillside and there you hid her clothes
You took her by the roadside where you begged to be excused
You took her by the roadside where there you hid her shoes
You took her on the hillside to make her your wife
You took her on the hillside where there you took her life
Take down my old violin and play it as you please
At this time tomorrow, it'll be no use to me
I dug a grave four foot long, I dug it three feet deep
And throwed the cold clay o'er her and tramped it with my feet
This world and one more then where do you reckon I'd be
If it hadn't been for Grayson, I'd a-been in Tennessee
About Tom Dooley
"The Kingston Trio's 1958 recording of 'Tom Dooley' stands as a pivotal moment in American folk history, marking the group's transition from traditional balladry to narrative storytelling. Originally a ballad about the 1850 murder of a young man in Virginia, the song was adapted by the trio to reflect the Civil Rights movement's struggle against racial injustice, transforming it into a powerful anthem of protest. Their arrangement, featuring harmonies and acoustic guitar work, helped popularize the folk revival and demonstrated the genre's capacity for social commentary. This recording remains a definitive example of how folk music can address contemporary issues while honoring historical narratives, cementing the trio's legacy as innovators who bridged traditional roots with modern activism.