Earshot PresentsAnother Place to Spend Your Time

Smokey Mountain Bill and His Song

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Taken from a brilliant 4-disc Delmore Brothers collection called Classic Cuts: Chicago, 1933-1941. This song is even more fun when you know the words, so I’ve done my best to transcribe them here.

Smokey Mountain Bill. He lived on a hill.
He made his own liquor and he ran his own still.
He gave the law a fit because of his grit.
And then he started singing his song.
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

The notches on his gun were four and twenty-one.
He shot a man a runnin just from what he hadn’t done.
It made the people mad to see a man so bad.
They were tired a’hearin his song:
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

The sherriff started out Smokey Bill to root.
He swore in twenty deputies to help him bring him out.
They started up the sail but all of them were pale.
They were dreading Smokey Bill’s song:
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

Smokey Mountain Bill. He lived on a hill.
He heard the sheriff coming ‘ccause the night was very still.
a pistol in his hand, he was a fighting man.
He never tired of singing his song:
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

From his cabin door there came an awful roar
for Smokey Bill was shooting like he’d never shot before.
The posse was afraid and
The sound the sound of Smokey Bill’s gun:
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

The singing of the lead would fill a man with dread.
So Smokey Bill the captain and some of them be dead.
This one began to run afraid he’d be the one
To feel the sting of Smokey Bill’s gun.
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

Smokey Mountain Bill the mountain whip-o-will
He fought a but
And now he’s growing old, his story still is told
I a’still be singing his song:
Oh lee dalay dee doo, deeyodel dee dalay dee doo.

Can you help fill in the blanks? Email EP or leave a comment. Thanks!