Bluegrass Messengers

Hangman- Foster (TN) pre1966 Burton/ Manning

[From Folklore: Folksongs; Burton and Manning I, 1967 with music.

R. Matteson 2015]

[Hangman] -sung by Doug Foster, May 6, 1966. Most of his songs were learned from his grandfather. Collected by Tony Heglar.

1. "Hangman, hangman, hangman,
Slack your lope a while;
I think I see my mama coming,
Coming many a mile.

2. "Mama, did you bring me silver?
Mama, did you bring me gold?
Or did you come to see me hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

3. "No, I didn't bring you silver;
No, I didn't bring you gold.
I did come to see you hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

4. "Hangman, hangman, hangman,
Slack your lope a while;
I think I see my father coming,
Coming many a mile.

5. "Father, did you bring me silver?
Father, did you bring me gold?
Did you come to see me hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

6. "No, I didn't bring you silver;
No, I didn't bring you gold.
I did come to see you hangin'
High from the gallows cold?

7. "Hangman, hangman, hangman,
Slack your lope a while;
I think I see my brother coming,
Coming many a mile.

8. "Brother, did you bring me silver?
Brother, did you bring me gold?
Did you come to see me hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

9. "No, I didn't bring you silver;
No, I didn't bring you gold.
I did come to see you hangin'
High from the gallows cold?

10. "Hangman, hangman, hangman,
Slack your lope a while;
I think I see my sister coming,
Coming many a mile.

11. "Sister, did you bring me silver?
Mama, did you bring me gold?
Did you come to see me hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

12. "No, I didn't bring you silver;
No, I didn't bring you gold.
I did come to see you hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

13. "Hangman, hangman, hangman,
Slack your rope a while;
I think I see my truelove coming
Coming many a mile.

14. "Truelove, did you bring me silver;
Truelove, did you bring me gold;
Or did you come to see me hangin'
High from the gallows cold?"

15.  "Yes, I brought you silver
For to pay this hangman's fee
'Cause I can't come to see you hangin'
High from the gallow tree."