Ballads and songs with an interesting backstory

[bobcat]

I watched the movie of Tom Dooley with Michael Landon that was accompanied by the song. Got to wondering if it was sparked by a real incident, and it was. Here is the story:
Back in the 1860's Tom Dula (Pronounced Dooley) was a confederate soldier, but prior to enlisting, he became involved with a woman named Ann Melton. When the war ended, he returned to resume his affair with her, even though she was now married. Somewhere in his stay there, he also became romantically involved with Laura Foster.
In the spring of 1866 Laura's body was found in a shallow grave after she had been stabbed to death. Tom became the suspect, he was arrested, tried, and convicted, and later hanged. However, legend has it that Dula's former lover, Ann Melton later confessed on her death bed to being the one who killed Laura. Sadly, it was too late for Tom.

 

[hollydolly]

Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Killed poor Laura Foster
You know you’re bound to die
You took her on the hillside
As God almighty knows
You took her on the hillside
And there you hid her clothes
You took her by the roadside
Where you begged to be excused
You took her by the roadside
Where there you hid her shoes
You took her on the hillside
To make her your wife
You took her on the hillside
Where there you took her life
Take down my old violin
And play it all you please
At this time tomorrow
It’ll be no use to me
I dug a grave four feet long
I dug it three feet deep
And throwed the cold clay o’er her
And tramped it with my feet
This world and one more than
Where do you reckon I’d be
If it hadn’t been for Grayson
I’d a been in Tennessee

 

[Pepper]

This movie might be when I fell in love with Michael Landon. Never fell out.

eta
just checked. This movie out only a few months before Bonanza went on TV.

 

[jujube]

I was so in love with Michael Landon as a teen.

 

[bobcat]

Hang down your head Tom Dooley
Hang down your head and cry
Killed poor Laura Foster
You know you’re bound to die
You took her on the hillside
As God almighty knows
You took her on the hillside
And there you hid her clothes
You took her by the roadside
Where you begged to be excused
You took her by the roadside
Where there you hid her shoes
You took her on the hillside
To make her your wife
You took her on the hillside
Where there you took her life
Take down my old violin
And play it all you please
At this time tomorrow
It’ll be no use to me
I dug a grave four feet long
I dug it three feet deep
And throwed the cold clay o’er her
And tramped it with my feet
This world and one more than
Where do you reckon I’d be
If it hadn’t been for Grayson
I’d a been in Tennessee

Ha ha..... A revised version I wasn't really aware of.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

The 1961 hit, "the Lions Sleeps Tonight", by the Tokens, has a history. The Tokens were severely criticized for ripping off the song. It was a centuries old Zulu chant. To the Tokens credit, right from the start, they admitted the only thing they did was translate the song into English. They readily admitted the melody, etc was all Zulu. The song was originally recorded in 1939 as "Mbube" meaning lion. "Wimoweh" is a corruption of the Zulu word for lion. There were several versions in the 1940s & 50s.
Even today, people still rant about the Tokens stealing the song, especially on YouTube.

 

[dobielvr]

I had a little crush on ML too.
I actually think my 1st husband was a bit jealous.

 

[bobcat]

This movie might be when I fell in love with Michael Landon. Never fell out.

eta
just checked. This movie out only a few months before Bonanza went on TV.

He was a dashing and handsome guy. Sad news when his health took a bad turn.

 

[CallMeKate]

A song I loved as a teen still gives me shivers. Dr. Hook's Carry Me Carrie is based on a Theodore Dreiser book called Sister Carrie. (I've read it.) The song is about the final scene in the book. So tragic... and chilling. "I carried you, now carry me a little..."
(This live version is a tad wilder than the 8 track or vinyl recording. )

 

[bobcat]

There were so many ballads from the likes of Marty Robbins, Bobbie Gentry, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Paul Simon, Johnny Cash, and so many others including songs about Big Bad John, Davey Crocket, Casey Jones, etc..., but I have no idea if there are real stories behind them.
In addition, there are many songs in general that have interesting stories about how the songwriter was inspired. I always enjoy interviews from musicians about how songs came to be. Most groups and musicians have a story to tell about the birth of a song.

 

[bobcat]

A song I loved as a teen still gives me shivers. Dr. Hook's Carry Me Carrie is based on a Theodore Dreiser book called Sister Carrie. (I've read it.) The song is about the final scene in the book. So sad... and chilling. "I carried you, now carry me a little..."

Wow, that was awesome.

 

[bobcat]

From the tremendously successful album "Rumours" from 1977, came the iconic song "Go Your Own Way" which encapsulated the breakup and conflicted emotions involved between Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, and indeed the struggles that many have gone through in life regarding the split of a relationship. At the time of the album, the personal lives of the members of Fleetwood Mac were a mess. John and Christine McVie were going through a divorce and Lindsay and Stevie's relationship was unraveling.

The song was about recognizing that, even though he was hurting, he still wanted his former love to succeed in choosing her path forward, even though he penned that it would be a lonely one. The song wasn't bitter or angry, but poignant and cathartic in that it helped him to accept what had happened. It was an example of maturity and desiring happiness for her.

However, Stevie was reportedly furious when she heard the song. She perceived the song as a personal and wrongful attack and urged Buckingham to change some of the lyrics. But Buckingham refused to do so. In response, Stevie Nicks wrote the iconic song “Dreams”. In a way, they were mirrored songs written by two different people about the same relationship.

Even with the personal struggles going on and heated recording sessions, the band stayed together and even capitalized on the emotions that threatened to tear them apart. They recognized that what they had together as a group was too valuable to sacrifice.

Go Your Own Way, as well as the album featuring it, has continued to touch the hearts of so many over the years with it's relatable theme, and is a testament to the great power of music and it's healing ability. It also is a legacy of one of the greatest bands of all time.
It demonstrated that even with unlikely differences, they could still come together to create something incredible.

"Rumours” would eventually sell over 10 million copies worldwide in the first month of its release, and went on to top the charts for 32 weeks.

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