The Four Freshmen began as a American vocal group popular from the 1950s th… Read Full Bio ↴The Four Freshmen began as a American vocal group popular from the 1950s through to the early 1960s. Founded by brothers Ross and Don Barbour in 1948 as freshmen at Butler University, the other two original members included their cousin Bob Flanigan and Hal Kratzsch. Well-known for their multi-part harmonies, they are notable as early purveyors of vocalese and as the forerunners of vocal-harmony based rock music, particularly that of The Beach Boys. In their current configuration, The Four Freshmen continue to perform.

The group took off after being signed to Capitol Records in 1952 at the insistence of high profile fan, Stan Kenton. They remained popular throughout the 50s and early 60s, releasing a wide array of successful albums, movie and television appearances and performing countless sold-out concerts. The band eventually lost mainstream attention with the emergence of the British pop bands of the 1960s, even though they managed to stay together even after the retirement of final original member Bob Flanigan in 1992.

As of 2001, the Freshmen have been composed of Bob Ferreira, Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, and Vince Johnson. Although the new lineup of the Four Freshmen have continued the legendary vocal tradition of the original band and perform many of the same standards, the current sound has more of a lounge sound rather than focusing primarily upon harmonies. This modernized sound has proven quite successful, as the group won Down Beat magazine's reader's poll award for Vocal Group of the Year in 2000, proving the quartet's prominence in the jazz world today.

Tom Dooley
The Four Freshmen Lyrics

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[Chorus]
Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Poor boy you're bound to die

I met her on the mountain
There I took her life

I met her on the mountain
Stabbed her with a knife

[Chorus]

This time tomorrow
Reckon where I'll be
If it hadn't of been for Grayson
I'd have been in Tennessee

[Chorus]

This time tomorrow
Reckon where I'll be
Down in some lonesome canyon
Hanging from a wide oak tree

[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The Four Freshmen's song "Tom Dooley" is a classic American folk song that tells the story of a murder that took place in the mountains. The song's lyrics suggest that Tom Dooley is a poor boy who was condemned to die after he was found to have taken someone's life. The song's chorus repeats these lines several times, with the intention of communicating the severity of Tom's situation and the inevitability of his fate.

The first verse of the song paints a picture of how Tom met the person whose life he took. He met her on the mountain, the very place where he would eventually be found guilty of murdering her. The use of repetition in this section of the song adds to the mournful tone of the chorus, as though the song is echoing the despair that Tom might have felt at the time.

The second verse of the song suggests that Tom is aware that his fate is sealed. He knows that he will die, and he can't help but think of the different places he might go if he wasn't in his current predicament. The final verse is even more melancholy, as Tom predicts that he will be hanging from a wide oak tree before long. Overall, the song is a haunting portrait of a man who knows he is doomed, and who can only reflect on what might have been if he had made different choices in his life.

Line by Line Meaning

Hang down your head Tom Dooley
You should feel remorseful for what you have done

Hang down your head and cry
You deserve to feel sad and guilty for your actions

Poor boy you're bound to die
You will face punishment for your crime

I met her on the mountain
I encountered her while on a hike in the mountains

There I took her life
I ended her life by committing murder

Stabbed her with a knife
I used a knife as the weapon to commit the murder

If it hadn't of been for Grayson
Grayson's intervention prevented me from being caught

I'd have been in Tennessee
I would have been caught and punished in Tennessee

Down in some lonesome canyon
I will be hiding in a remote and secluded canyon

Hanging from a wide oak tree
I will meet my end by hanging from a strong and sturdy tree

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE GUARD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind