Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From The North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents' scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as "Club Passim" in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.
Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:
Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
Good Man E.P. (2006)
In The Dark: Live At Vicar Street (2006)
The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (2007)
Live at the Record Exchange EP (2008)
So Runs the World Away (2010)
To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (April 2011)
The Beast In Its Tracks (2013)
Acoustic Live, Vol.1 (2015)
Sermon on the Rocks (2015)
Folk Bloodbath
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When he returned, little Delia had gone to rest
The angels laid her away
Louis said to Delia
"That's the sad thing with life,
There's people always leavin' just as other folks arrive"
The angels laid her away
When the people heard Delia was dead
All of them gentlemen they dressed in red
The angels laid her away
Angels laid her away
Laid her six feet under the clay
The angels laid her away
Louis went downtown for a new suit of clothes
He's gonna dress up for Delia like a fine red rose
The angels laid him away
He brought a ten-gallon Stetson
It was ox blood red
Stacker Lee shot Louis in the back of the head
The angels laid him away
Oh Stacker Lee said to Louis,
'Oh now don't you grieve. I'm sending you to Delia, you won't ever have to leave.'
The angels laid him away
Angels laid him away
They laid him six feet under the clay
The angels laid him away
Well the judge was a mean one
His name was Hangin' Billy Lyons
He said "You've always been a bad man, Stack, you gonna hang this time.
The angels lay you away."
And the jailer said to Stacker Lee 'What's the problem with you?"
'Aw jailer, Louis Collins' ghost brought Delia's with him, too."
The angels laid them away
Angels laid him away
They laid him six feet under the clay
The angels laid him away
Well they buried little Delia
In the church yard deep
With Louis Collins at her head
Stacker Lee at her feet
The angels laid them away
And out of Delia's bed came briars
Out of Louis's bed a rose
Out of Stacker Lee's came Stacker Lee's cold lonely little ghost
Angels laid them away
And I'm looking over rooftops
And I'm hoping that it ain't true
That the same God looks out for them Looks out for me and you
Angels laid them away
Angels laid them away
Angels laid them away
The song "Folk Bloodbath" by Josh Ritter tells the story of three tragic deaths that occurred in quick succession. The first verse sets the stage for the sadness to come, with Louis Collins returning home only to find that Delia has died. He tells her that life is full of people leaving just as others arrive. The second verse continues this theme, as Louis goes to get dressed up for Delia's funeral while Stacker Lee looks on. Stacker Lee then shoots him in the back of the head, claiming that he is sending him to Delia, where he won't have to leave.
The final verse introduces yet another death, with Hangin' Billy Lyons condemning Stacker Lee to hang for his crime. In the end, all three are buried in close proximity to each other, with Delia at the center. The final lines of the song suggest that death is inevitable, as the same God looks out for everyone, regardless of their station in life.
Possible interpretations of the song could include themes of fate, the cyclical nature of life and death, and the interconnectedness of all people, regardless of their social standing or circumstances.
Line by Line Meaning
Louis Collins took a trip out west
Louis Collins went on a journey to the west
When he returned, little Delia had gone to rest
Upon his return, Louis found out that Delia had passed away
The angels laid her away
Delia was buried by the angels
Louis said to Delia
Louis spoke to Delia
"That's the sad thing with life,
Louis expressed his sorrow about how life works
There's people always leavin' just as other folks arrive"
Louis lamented about how people enter and exit life
When the people heard Delia was dead
Upon hearing about Delia's death
All of them gentlemen they dressed in red
All the gentlemen dressed in red attire
The angels laid her away
Delia was buried by the angels
Angels laid her away
Angels buried Delia
Laid her six feet under the clay
They buried her six feet under the layer of soil
The angels laid her away
Delia was buried by the angels
Louis went downtown for a new suit of clothes
Louis went to the downtown area to buy new garments
He's gonna dress up for Delia like a fine red rose
Louis intended to dress up for Delia in the same way one would dress up a fine red rose
The angels laid him away
Louis was buried by the angels
He brought a ten-gallon Stetson
Louis brought a specific type of hat
It was ox blood red
The hat had an ox blood red color
Stacker Lee shot Louis in the back of the head
Stacker Lee fatally shot Louis from behind
The angels laid him away
Louis was buried by the angels
Oh Stacker Lee said to Louis,
Stacker Lee spoke to Louis
'Oh now don't you grieve. I'm sending you to Delia, you won't ever have to leave.'
Stacker Lee tried to console Louis by telling him he's sending him to Delia and he won't have to leave her again
The angels laid him away
Louis was buried by the angels
Angels laid him away
The angels buried Louis
They laid him six feet under the clay
They buried him six feet under the layer of soil
The angels laid him away
Louis was buried by the angels
Well the judge was a mean one
The judge was of ill temper
His name was Hangin' Billy Lyons
The judge's name was Hangin' Billy Lyons
He said "You've always been a bad man, Stack, you gonna hang this time.
The judge accused Stacker Lee of being a bad man and sentenced him to hang
The angels lay you away."
Stacker Lee was buried by the angels
And the jailer said to Stacker Lee 'What's the problem with you?"
The jailer asked Stacker Lee what was wrong with him
'Aw jailer, Louis Collins' ghost brought Delia's with him, too."
Stacker Lee replied to the jailer claiming that Louis Collins' ghost brought Delia's ghost with him as well
The angels laid them away
Louis Collins and Delia were buried by the angels
They laid him six feet under the clay
Louis Collins was buried six feet under the layer of soil
The angels laid them away
Louis Collins and Delia were buried by the angels
Well they buried little Delia
They buried little Delia
In the church yard deep
Delia was buried in a deep churchyard
With Louis Collins at her head
Louis Collins was buried at Delia's head
Stacker Lee at her feet
Stacker Lee was buried at Delia's feet
The angels laid them away
Louis Collins, Delia, and Stacker Lee were buried by the angels
And out of Delia's bed came briars
Briars came out of Delia's bed
Out of Louis's bed a rose
A rose came out of Louis's bed
Out of Stacker Lee's came Stacker Lee's cold lonely little ghost
Stacker Lee's lonely ghost came out of his bed
Angels laid them away
Louis Collins, Delia, and Stacker Lee were buried by the angels
And I'm looking over rooftops
The artist is surveying over rooftops
And I'm hoping that it ain't true
The artist is hoping that something isn't true
That the same God looks out for them Looks out for me and you
The artist is pondering about whether or not God looks out for everyone
Angels laid them away
Louis Collins, Delia, and Stacker Lee were buried by the angels
Angels laid them away
Louis Collins, Delia, and Stacker Lee were buried by the angels
Angels laid them away
Louis Collins, Delia, and Stacker Lee were buried by the angels
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSHUA RITTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jayoung1000
This song is like the "American Pie" of folk music. Great stuff!
G. J. M.
I'm here listening to this sitting on porch in the countryside. the dawn is urupting with shotguns from the duck hunters out on the misty river and the jubalee of Chikadees singing in the light. The smell from last night rain cleans my senses as the smoke rolls slowly off my cigarette up into oblivion. Josh ritter music inspires but life is the magic of inspiration
Jules Smyth
What a great song. Beautiful
Mike Silvera
From a songwriting point-of-view, this song is the equivalent of achieving a double-pirouette. Ridiculously difficult, bridging centuries of Gothic folk songs into one seamless narrative. Ritter makes it look easy.
John Fleet
Ever since I heard it on the good wife I listen to this every day
Darin Williams
It is almost ridiculous how Ritter's command of prose makes every lyric sound like the most profound, soulful thing you've ever heard. This is only eclipsed by how topical all of it seems to be. He has the unique ability to stay on topic and spin the words with a dizzying profundity that relates completely to the story he's telling, as well as the "chapter" each line represents. The result is inspirational and disheartening as his mastery makes me want to take flame to my own offerings.
lovepeace
I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SONG. tHANK YOU STARBUCKS FOR PLAYING IT NON-STOP!
ZZBob777
Best version of this classic I've found on You Tube. Many thanks for posting! ;-)
Carl 90
He has definitely taken influence from Gordon Lightfoot in this song, you can hear it a mile away. That isn't a bad thing by the way.
John Spahn
My favorite song to include the Stagger Lee folklore.