Charles Guiteau, Lyric Variant 03

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Ballads--United States

Guiteau, Charles Julius, 1841-1882--Songs and music

Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881--Assassination--Songs and music

Presidents--Assassination--United States--Songs and music

Capital punishment--Songs and music

The Murder of James A, Garfield, Charles Gettau, Charles Guitar, James A, Garfield

Guiteau, Charles J. (Charles Julius), 1841-1882

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

Charles Giteau.

I went to see James A. Garfield,
He took me to be his friend.
I shot a bullet in him
Which caused his fatal end.
'Twas at the big depot
I thought I'd make my `scape
But providence being against me
I found I was too late.

Chorus:

My name is Charles Giteau,
My name I'll never deny,
`Though I leave my ancient parents
In sorrow for to die,
But little did they think I,
While in my youthful bloom,
Would be taken to the scaffold
To meet my fatal doom.

I tried to play off insane,
But I found it would not do.
The people all being against me,
They proved it was untrue.
The judge he passed the sentence,
The clerk he wrote it down.
On the thirtieth day of June,
I must meet my fatal doom.

My sister came to see me
To bid me a last goodbye.
She threw her arms around me:
Dear brother, you must die
For the murder of James A. Garfield
The law you must abide.
On the thirtieth day of June
You must meet your fatal doom.

And now I am at the scaffold
To bid you all adieu.
The hangman now is waiting,
It's a quarter after two.
The black is over my face,
No longer can I see,
But when I am dead and buried
Dear Lord, remember me.

1881

Brown, 249 Randolph, 134 Laws, E 11 Combs, 58

113_CharlesGuiteau_Lyric_03