Charles Guiteau (song)

"Charles Guiteau"
Song
Written	Unknown
Released	Unknown
Songwriter(s)	unknown

"Charles Guiteau" (Roud 444, Laws E11) is a traditional folk song about the assassination of US President James A. Garfield by Charles J. Guiteau. It is based on another old ballad, "James A. Rogers". ^{[1] [2]} The song is told from the point of view of the assassin himself. ^[3]

For a while, it was believed that Guiteau wrote the song himself, possibly because of the poem "I am Going to the Lordy", which Guiteau actually did write on the day of his execution. ^[4]

It is not to be confused with another ballad about the assassination, "Mr. Garfield," which was popularized by Johnny Cash. ^[3] Bascom Lamar Lunsford recorded both songs in 1949 for the Library of Congress. ^[3]

Recordings

• Norman Blake
• Bascom Lamar Lunsford on Songs and Ballads of American History and the Assassination of Presidents recorded 1949, released by Library of Congress 1952, re-released by Rounder 1998
• Kelly Harrell 1927 on Anthology of American Folk Music , Smithsonian Folkways 1997
• Ramblin' Jack Elliot circa 1955 on compilation Badmen, Heroes and Pirates, mono LP release (out of print)
• Tom Paley & Joe Locker on Sue Cow Argos 1969
• Dave Fredrickson and Crabgrass, circa 1960, on Arhoolie LP 4001, reissued on CD 518-B in conjunction with book Hear Me Howling! Blues, Ballads & Beyond, recorded by Chris Strachwitz with text by Adam Machado (El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Productions, 2010).

See also

• Assassins (musical)

References

1. Waltz, Bob. "Remembering Old Songs: Charles Guiteau" (web reprint of Inside Bluegrass July 1997). Retrieved 2008-03-08.
2. "Charles Guiteau". Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
3. "Mr. Garfield and Charles Guiteau". Field Trip South. UNC Blogs. 30 June 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
4. Vowell, Sarah (2006). Assassination Vacation. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. p. 177. ISBN   978-0-7432-6004-6 . Retrieved 28 June 2013.