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The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-1934) Lyrics
Some punk with a shotgun killed young Danny Bailey
In cold blood, in the lobby of a downtown motel
Killed him in anger, a force he couldn't handle
Helped pull the trigger that cut short his life
And there's not many knew him the way that we did
Sure enough he was a wild one, but then aren't most hungry kids
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
We're running short of heroes back up here in the hills
Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills
So mark his grave well `cause Kentucky loved him
Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him
And he found faith in danger, a lifestyle he lived by
A running gun youngster in a sad restless age
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
In cold blood, in the lobby of a downtown motel
Killed him in anger, a force he couldn't handle
Helped pull the trigger that cut short his life
And there's not many knew him the way that we did
Sure enough he was a wild one, but then aren't most hungry kids
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
Without Danny Bailey we're gonna have to break up our stills
So mark his grave well `cause Kentucky loved him
Born and raised a proper, I guess life just bugged him
And he found faith in danger, a lifestyle he lived by
A running gun youngster in a sad restless age
And the harvest is in
Dillinger's dead
I guess the cops won again
Now it's all over Danny Bailey
And the harvest is in
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Beautiful. The piano "bang-bang" at the start sets the tone, Elton's singing has theatrical presence and the lyrics make a cool rip-off of "irish-whiskey-and- gangsters" mythology. A real gem.
Such a badass song. I would want this to be played at my funeral, damn! What a tribute to the gangsters and thieves who nevertheless care for their own.
This song is amazing.
It's supposed to be a suicide, isn't it? "Life just bugged him", "in cold blood" vs. "in anger" etc.