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Sam Hall Lyrics
[Chorus]
You fought all the way
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
You fought all the way, Johnny Reb
Saw you a-marchin' with Robert E. Lee
You held your head high tryin' to win the victory
You fought for your folks, but you didn't die in vain
Even tho' you lost they speak highly of your name, 'cause
[Chorus]
I heard your teeth chatter from the cold outside
Saw the bullets open up the wounds in your side
I saw the young boys as they began to fall
You had tears in your eyes 'cause you couldn't help at all, but
[Chorus]
I saw Gen'ral Lee raise a sabre in his hand
Heard the cannons roar as you made your last stand
You marched in the battle of the Grey and the Red
When the cannon smoke cleared, took days to count the dead, 'cause
[Chorus]
When Honest Abe heard the news about your fall
The folks thought he'd call a great vict'ry ball
But he asked the band to play the song Dixie
For you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believe
You fought all the way
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
Yeah, you fought all the way, Johnny Reb
[Chorus]
You fought all the way
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
You fought all the way, Johnny Reb
You held your head high tryin' to win the victory
You fought for your folks, but you didn't die in vain
Even tho' you lost they speak highly of your name, 'cause
Saw the bullets open up the wounds in your side
I saw the young boys as they began to fall
You had tears in your eyes 'cause you couldn't help at all, but
Heard the cannons roar as you made your last stand
You marched in the battle of the Grey and the Red
When the cannon smoke cleared, took days to count the dead, 'cause
The folks thought he'd call a great vict'ry ball
But he asked the band to play the song Dixie
For you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believe
Johnny Reb, Johnny Reb
Yeah, you fought all the way, Johnny Reb
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I agree with wisewhiz. It's about an unrepententant murderer named Sam Hall. He got caught, convicted, and his sentence is to hang. He wants the world to know that he doesen't give a crap about what he did and he will see them all in Hell. There is an uplifting, defiant sense of carefreeness (hey I just made up a word :-) ) about his crime and end.
I think he is savoring his 15 minutes of infamy. Thats why he calls out people in the crowd. That they're always going to remembers Sam Halls hanging.
This song is so funny! I love it. There's not much to it...basically, Sam Hall's a guy who's crimes have finally caught up to him and he's going to hang for them. Everyone came to "see him off," so he responds being giving them the metaphorical one-fingered salute. He figures if he's got to go, he's not going to do so nicely, so "a-swingin' he must go."
I would also like to add that "Damn your eyes" implies to me that Sam thinks the crowd is as guilty as he is...they are killing him, just like he killed someone. I personally think it is wrong to kill someone for killing someone to show the rest of society that killing is wrong. :-)