Dick Justice … Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists who used the name Dick Justice.
Dick Justice (born Henry Franklin Justice april 3, 1903, died September 12,1962), was an influential blues and folk musician who hailed from West Virginia, United States. He recorded ten songs for Brunswick Records in Chicago in 1929. He was heavily influenced by black musicians, particularly Luke Jordan who recorded in 1927 and 1929 for Victor Records. Justice's "Cocaine" is a verse-for-verse cover of the Jordan track of the same name recorded two years earlier. The song "Brownskin Blues" is also stylistically akin the much of Jordan's work but stands on its own as a Justice original. As Jordan hailed from around Lynchburg, Virginia it is perhaps worth speculating that the two may have been associates. Justice is also musically related to Frank Hutchison (with whom he played music and worked as a coal miner in Logan County, West Virginia) and The Williamson Brothers. His recording of the traditional ballad 'Henry Lee' is the opening track of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music. He also worked closely with Reese Jarvis(1899-1967) who played violin on "Muskrat Rag "and "Poca River Blues".
There was also an alternative rock band from Champaign-Urbana, Illinois named Dick Justice. They formed in late 1991, taking their name from one Richard Justice . . . the associate dean of students at the University of Illinois in charge of student discipline and mediation programs. Original members included Jim Kamp (guitar, vocals), Galen Gondolfi (drums, vocals) and Rob Arrol (bass, vocals). The band played thier first show on January 24, 1992 at a house party (with Bob Rising from Poster Children/Seam guesting on drums). dick justice made a name for themselves throughout the Midwest, through regular touring and playing with the likes of Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Elvis Hitler, Material Issue, Pansy Division, A Flock of Seagulls, Arcwelder, Busker Soundcheck, Tripmaster Monkey, Honcho Overload, The Moon Seven Times, Delta Kings, Walt Mink and one incredibly memorable night with Alcohol Funnycar. The original members released one 7-inch on Mud Records in December 1993. The Lasso Your Heart EP featured the songs "Nine Outta Ten" (also included on the CD comp. Mud Puddle Playoffs) and "Part of Your Problem." Arrol departed in May 1994. During this period he was also rhythm guitarist For Decatur, Illinois' and Medium Cool Recording Artists' Ticks. He reimerged in the fall of 1994 playing guitar and singing with a pop-punk power trio known as "mary me" with braid's Todd Bell on bass on Roy Ewing on drums. They recorded for John Yates' Allied Recordings. Gondolfi and Kamp recruited Chris Green to fill in before relocating to Chicago and asking Jeff Sorensen to assume full-time bass duties. Gondolfi eventually left the band with Paul Pagones taking over on drums. Gondolfi took a brake from drumming to travel and experience many parts of the United States. He came back into the spotlight in St. Louis' Push and currently drums with an outfit known as Airport Elementary. The Kamp, Sorensen, Pagones line-up of dick justice released two 7-inches: DICK JUSTICE ROCK on Evanston, Illinois' ten-spot record company, inc. and Superfancy Heavy Duty Everything on Chicago's Thick Records. Kamp later fronted seminal Chicago bands Team Player and Snaklab All-Tsars (w/Pagones on drums). He currently plays with his brother Paul (Busker Soundcheck) in Ruth Buzzy. On May 25, 2008, the original line-up of Rob Arrol, Galen Gondolfi and Jim Kamp reunited in Champaign, IL for a show at The High Dive. In front of a sell out crowd, dick justice (the band) was introduced by Dick Justice (the man). Others on the bill that night were Driver Has No Cash, Corndolly, The Moon Seven Times, Mother/Menthol and Honcho Overload.
Henry Lee
Dick Justice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And stay all night with me
You won't find a girl in this damn world
That will compare with me
And the wind did howl and the wind did blow
La la la la la
La la la la lee
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
I can't get down and I won't get down
And stay all night with thee
For the girl I have in that merry green land
I love far better than thee
And the wind did howl and the wind did blow
La la la la la
La la la la lee
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
She leaned herself against a fence
Just for a kiss or two
And with a little pen-knife held in her hand
She plugged him through and through
And the wind did roar and the wind did moan
La la la la la
La la la la lee
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
Come take him by his lilly-white hands
Come take him by his feet
And throw him in this deep deep well
Which is more than one hundred feet
And the wind did howl and the wind did blow
La la la la la
La la la la lee
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
Lie there, lie there, little Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
For the girl you have in that merry green land
Can wait forever for you to come home
And the wind did howl and the wind did moan
La la la la la
La la la la lee
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
The lyrics to Dick Justice's song Henry Lee tell the story of a young man named Henry Lee who is pursued by a woman who wants him to stay with her for the night. However, Henry Lee refuses because he already has a love back in his homeland that he loves more. The woman becomes enraged and ends up killing him with a pen-knife. The lyrics are haunting and tragic, painting a vivid picture of this violent event.
The song is believed to be an old English ballad that has been passed down through the ages, with some variations in the lyrics. It has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Nick Cave and PJ Harvey. The violent nature of the song has inspired many musicians and has made it a popular choice for artists to cover.
Line by Line Meaning
Get down, get down, little Henry Lee
Come with me, Henry Lee
And stay all night with me
Spend the whole night with me
You won't find a girl in this damn world
There's no girl that compares to me
That will compare with me
I'm the best you'll ever find
And the wind did howl and the wind did blow
There was a lot of wind
La la la la la
No specific meaning
La la la la lee
No specific meaning
A little bird lit down on Henry Lee
A bird landed on Henry Lee
I can't get down and I won't get down
I won't come with you
And stay all night with thee
And spend the night with you
For the girl I have in that merry green land
I have a girl back in my homeland
I love far better than thee
I love her more than I could ever love you
She leaned herself against a fence
She leaned on a fence
Just for a kiss or two
Hoping for a quick kiss
And with a little pen-knife held in her hand
She had a small knife in her hand
She plugged him through and through
She stabbed him multiple times
And the wind did roar and the wind did moan
The wind was violent
Come take him by his lilly-white hands
Grab him by his pure white hands
Come take him by his feet
Grab him by his feet
And throw him in this deep deep well
Throw him in this very deep well
Which is more than one hundred feet
That is over 100 feet deep
Lie there, lie there, little Henry Lee
Stay there, Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
Until your flesh falls off your bones
For the girl you have in that merry green land
The girl back home is waiting for you
Can wait forever for you to come home
She'll wait for you no matter how long it takes
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind