"Charles Guiteau" (LAWS E11) Roud 444 is a traditional song about the

assassination Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have ...

of US President

James A. Garfield James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881 until his death six months latertwo months after he was shot by an assassin. A lawyer and Civil War gene ...

Charles J. Guiteau Charles Julius Guiteau ( ; September 8, 1841June 30, 1882) was an American man who assassinated James A. Garfield, president of the United States, on July 2, 1881. Guiteau falsely believed he had played a major role in Garfield's election vic ...

. It is based on another old ballad, "James A. Rogers". The song is told from the point of view of the assassin himself. For a while, it was believed that Guiteau wrote the song himself, possibly because of the poem "

I am Going to the Lordy "I am Going to the Lordy", alternatively titled "Simplicity", is a poem written by Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin of U.S. President James A. Garfield. He wrote it on June 30, 1882, the morning of his execution. He read it at the gallows. "I am ...

", which Guiteau actually did write on the day of his execution. It is not to be confused with another ballad about the assassination, "Mr. Garfield," which was popularized by

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

Bascom Lamar Lunsford Bascom Lamar Lunsford (March 21, 1882 – September 4, 1973) was a folklorist, performer of traditional Appalachian music, and lawyer from western North Carolina. He was often known by the nickname "Minstrel of the Appalachians." Biography ...

recorded both songs in 1949 for the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

. There exists a handwritten document of a folk song "Charles Guiteau's Life" with Inez Conner listed as the author. The page has four stanzas, it is noted on the paper as a gift to "Mr. Charley Grant, Mt. Claire, Nuckolls county, Nebraska. August 2, 1890."

Recordings

* Norman Blake *

on ''Songs and Ballads of American History and the Assassination of Presidents'' recorded 1949, released by

1952, re-released by

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

1998 * Kelly Harrell 1927 on ''

Anthology of American Folk Music ''Anthology of American Folk Music'' is a three-album compilation, released in 1952 by Folkways Records, of eighty-four recordings of American folk, blues and country music made and issued from 1926 to 1933 by a variety of performers. The album wa ...

'',

Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fou ...

1997 *

Ramblin' Jack Elliot Ramblin' Jack Elliott (born Elliot Charles Adnopoz; August 1, 1931) is an American folk music, folk singer and songwriter. Life and career Elliott was born in 1931 in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York, United States, the son of Florence (R ...

circa 1955 on compilation ''Badmen, Heroes and Pirates'', mono LP release (out of print) *

Dave Fredrickson David Allen Fredrickson (August 11, 1927 – August 28, 2012) was an American archaeologist, anthropologist, and folk singer. He was born in Berkeley, California, and moved with his family to Redwood City in 1932, spending much of his childho ...

and Crabgrass, circa 1960, on Arhoolie LP 4001, reissued on CD 518-B in conjunction with book ''Hear Me Howling! Blues, Ballads & Beyond'', recorded by Chris Strachwitz with text by Adam Machado (El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Productions, 2010).

References

Songs about criminals Songs about presidents of the United States Cultural depictions of James A. Garfield Cultural depictions of assassins Bascom Lamar Lunsford songs Murder ballads American songs 1882 songs Assassination of James A. Garfield Songwriter unknown {{folk-song-stub

Recordings

See also

References