I was listening to an episode of the Smithsonian Folkways podcast on my way to class today, and was suddenly floored when I heard this song:
The people held their breath
When they heard of Jesse’s death
And wondered how he ever came to die.
It was one of the gang called little Robert Ford
He shot poor Jesse on the sly.Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children, they were brave;
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid poor Jesse in his grave.Jesse James, Traditional
The reason that I was so taken was that I recognized the tune – and, I soon realized, the lyrics, as well. I hadn’t heard the song before, though; what I had heard was this Woody Guthrie tune:
Jesus was a man, a carpenter by hand;
Carpenter true and brave;
And a dirty little coward called Judas Iscariot
Laid Jesus Christ in His grave.The people of the land took Jesus by the hand,
They followed Him far and wide;
“I come not to bring you peace, but a sword”,
So they killed Jesus Christ on the sly.Woody Guthrie, Jesus Christ
While I’ve long loved this song, it takes on many new undertones when heard as an appropriation of the outlaw ballad – not just a stylistically similar piece, but actually a re-presentation of an existing myth.
