He was best known as a pioneer of the acoustic blues revival, but his work ranged from old English ballads to Bertolt Brecht, rock, New Orleans jazz, and swing. He was a pioneer of instrumental ragtime guitar, as well as an early supporter of Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, among many others. Van Ronk was very influential on the music scene in New York City in the 1960s.
His professional musical career started when he moved from Brooklyn to Queens in 1951 and started doing pick-up work in traditional jazz outfits.
Van Ronk died of colorectal cancer (colon cancer) in 2002.
Hang Me Oh Hang Me
Dave Van Ronk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hang me, oh, hang me, I'll be dead and gone.
I wouldn't mind the hanging but the laying in the grave so long
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
I been all around Cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas
All around Cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas
Got so goddamn hungry I could hide behind a straw
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
Went up on the mountain, there I made my stand
Went up on the mountain, there I made my stand
A rifle on my shoulder and a dagger in my hand
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
Hang me, oh, hang me and I'll be dead and gone.
Hang me, oh, hang me and I'll be dead and gone.
I wouldn't mind the hanging but the laying in the grave so long
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high
Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high
The last words I heard them say: "Won't be long now 'fore you die"
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
Hang me, oh, hang me and I'll be dead and gone.
Hang me, oh, hang me, I'll be dead and gone.
I wouldn't mind the hanging but the laying in the grave so long
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
Dave Van Ronk's "Hang Me Oh Hang Me" is a traditional folk ballad that tells the story of a man who accepts his fate of being hung for his crimes. The opening verse "Hang me, oh, hang me, I'll be dead and gone" sets the tone for the rest of the song, but the underlying theme is revealed when he says, "I wouldn't mind the hanging but the laying in the grave so long." This line suggests that the singer fears not death but rather the isolation, loneliness, and the unknown that comes with it.
The song describes a man who has been "all around this world," highlighting his travels through Cape Girardeau and Arkansas, where he faced the difficult circumstances of hunger and desperation. The loneliness and heartbreak culminate at the end of the song when the singer is hung and hears the last words, "won't be long now 'fore you die."
"Hang Me Oh Hang Me" is a poignant and melancholic song with a lonesome quality, as it captures the final moments of a man's life. It can be interpreted as a commentary on the human condition, the inevitability of life, and the acceptance of fate.
Line by Line Meaning
Hang me, oh, hang me, I'll be dead and gone.
I am prepared to die and am okay with the idea of being hanged.
I wouldn't mind the hanging but the laying in the grave so long
What I fear the most is not the execution but the prolonged time spent in the grave.
Poor boy, I've been all around this world.
I have travelled excessively and cannot escape my fate of being punished.
All around Cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas
I have traveled to various places, including Cape Girardeau and parts of Arkansas.
Got so goddamn hungry I could hide behind a straw
I was so hungry that it made me feel weak and vulnerable, like I could hide behind something as thin as a straw.
Went up on the mountain, there I made my stand
I sought refuge in the mountains where I decided to make my stand.
A rifle on my shoulder and a dagger in my hand
I had a rifle on my shoulder and a dagger in my hand, ready to defend myself.
Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high
The executioners placed the rope around my neck and hung me high up in the air.
The last words I heard them say: "Won't be long now 'fore you die"
The last thing I heard before my execution was the reminder that my death would be swift and imminent.
Contributed by Benjamin O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.