Tom Dooley
Jon Langford and the pine valley cosmonauts Lyrics

Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
Feel ashamed of what you have done, Tom Dooley,

Hang your head and cry;
Express your remorse for killing Laurie Foster, Tom Dooley,

You killed poor Laurie Foster,
You murdered Laurie Foster, Tom Dooley,

And you know you're bound to die.
You're aware that you'll be punished for your crime and will face death, Tom Dooley,

You left her by the roadside
You abandoned Laurie's body on the side of the road, Tom Dooley,

Where you begged to be excused;
You tried to justify your actions, Tom Dooley,

Then you hid her clothes and shoes.
You concealed evidence of your crime, Tom Dooley,

You took her on the hillside
You coerced Laurie to come with you to a hillside, Tom Dooley,

For to make her your wife;
You told her that you wished to marry her, Tom Dooley,

And there you took her life.
You murdered Laurie on the hillside, Tom Dooley,

You dug the grave four feet long
You dug a four-foot-long grave for Laurie, Tom Dooley,

And you dug it three feet deep;
You dug a three-foot-deep grave for Laurie, Tom Dooley,

You rolled the cold clay over her
You covered Laurie's body with dirt, Tom Dooley,

And tromped it with your feet.
You stomped on the dirt to even it out, Tom Dooley,

Trouble, oh it's trouble
Tom Dooley is troubled,

A-rollin' through my breast;
He feels deep sorrow and anxiety,

As long as I'm a-livin', boys,
As long as he's alive, Tom Dooley knows he'll never be at peace,

They ain't a-gonna let me rest.
The guilt and punishment for his crime will continue to haunt him, Tom Dooley,

I know they're gonna hang me,
Tom Dooley knows he'll be executed by hanging,

Tomorrow I'll be dead,
Tom Dooley's execution is scheduled for the next day,

Though I never even harmed a hair
Tom Dooley claims that he didn't hurt Laurie in any way,

On poor little Laurie's head."
He feels that Laurie's death was an accident and he shouldn't be held responsible,

In this world and one more
Tom Dooley believes in life after death,

Then reckon where I'll be;
He's contemplating where he'll end up after he dies,

If it wasn't for Sheriff Grayson,
Tom Dooley acknowledges that Sheriff Grayson played a role in his arrest and punishment,

I'd be in Tennessee.
He wouldn't have been caught if he had fled to Tennessee,

You can take down my old violin
Tom Dooley's violin doesn't matter to him anymore,

And play it all you please.
Anyone can have his old violin, Tom Dooley doesn't care anymore,

For at this time tomorrow, boys,
Tom Dooley will no longer be alive tomorrow and it doesn't affect him,

It'll be of no use to me."
He won't have any use for a violin in the afterlife,

At this time tomorrow
Tom Dooley knows exactly when he'll die,

Where do you reckon I'll be?
He's asking the person listening where they think he'll end up after he dies,

Away down yonder in the holler
Tom Dooley believes he'll end up deep in the woods somewhere,

Hangin' on a white oak tree.
Tom Dooley will be executed by hanging on a white oak tree,

Hang your head, Tom Dooley,
The song is repeating the opening lines to remind Tom Dooley of his crime and upcoming punishment,

Hang your head and cry;
Tom Dooley must express his remorse for killing Laurie Foster as his punishment draws near,

You killed poor Laurie Foster,
The song continues to remind Tom Dooley of his crime,

And you know you're bound to die.
He can't escape his punishment for his crime, Tom Dooley must accept his judgment.