Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers - White House Blues

Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers - White House Blues (from Harry Smith's 'Anthology of American Folk Music : Ballads')
Lyrics :
McKinley hollered , McKinley squalled
Doc said A"McKinley I can't find the cause
You're bound to die, you're bound to die

Doc told the horse, he'd throw down his rein
He said to the horse you gotta outrun this train
From Buffalo to Washington

The doc came a-running, he took off his specs
Said A"Mr Mckinley better cash in your checks
You've bound to die, you're bound to die

Look here, you rascal, you see what you've done
You shot my husband with an/your Ivor Johnson gun.
I'm carrying you back, to Washington

Well, Roosevelt's in the White House, doing his best
McKinley's in the graveyard taking his rest
He's gone, for a long time

[mikemauro]

This song gets stuck in my head for weeks. Remnant of a time when someone was in the White House trying to do their best.

[ericmadeoftin]

Something great about this song. I go back to it time to time. It's like an old memory of a jar of moonshine shared on the porch as we pick out a tune on the ole banjo as my hounddog Blue howls at the moon. Of course I never experienced these things, mind you, I'm from LA, but dag gummit, I reckon I'ma feeling it dang, darn, deep, down in me soul.

[SigPR]

Of all the renditions I have ever heard, this is by far my favorite.

[zta]

As for “not the right lyrics.” one of the characteristics of folk music is its adaptability for different people and times. Consequently, its lyrics, melodies, beat and every other aspect of music like this morphs over time. You may well chase this tune back to Scotland or somewhere with completely different lyrics . . .