White House Blues



SOURCE: Bob Pfeffer



SOURCE'S SOURCE: (1) Bascom Lamar Lunsford, RECORD: "Songs and Ballads of

American History and of the Assassination of

Presidents" (Library of Congress)

(2) Charlie Poole, RECORD:



COMMENTS: BLL titled it "Zolgotz"; he heard Willard Randolph sing it

in about 1923. c.f. also A. Lomax "FS of North America"



TEXT: (1)

D

Zolgotz, cruel man

D G D

He shot poor McKinley with a handkerchief on his hand

A7 G

In Buffalo, in Buffalo

Zolgotz, you done him wrong

You shot poor McKinley when he was walkin' along

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



The pistol fired then McKinley he did fall

The doctor says "McKinley, I can't find the ball"

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



They sent for the doctor, the doctor come

He come in a-chargin', he come in a-runnin'

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



He saddled his horse and he swung on his rein

And he trotted the horse till he outrun the train

To Buffalo, to Buffalo



Forty-four boxes all trimmed in braid

A sixteen-wheeled driver, boys, it couldn't make the grade

To Buffalo, to Buffalo

Forty-four boxes trimmed in lace

Take him back to the baggage, boys, where I can't see his face

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



Mrs. Mckinley took a trip, and she took it out west

Where she couldn't hear the people talk about McKinley's death

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



The engine whistled down the line

A-blowing every station - McKinley was a-dying

In Buffalo, in Buffalo



Seventeen coaches all trimmed in black

Took McKinley to the graveyard but never brought him back

To Buffalo, to Buffalo



Seventeen coaches all trimmed in black

Took Roosevelt to the White House but never brought him back

To Buffalo, to Buffalo

SPOKEN: That was Theodore Roosevelt



(2)



McKinley he hollered, McKinley he squalled

The doctor said "McKinley, I can't find that ball"

From Buffalo to Washington



Roosevelt in the White House, he's doin' his best

McKinley in the graveyard, he's takin' his rest

He's gone a long old time



Hush up little children, now don't you fret

You'll draw a pension at your papa's death

From Buffalo to Washington



Roosevelt in the White House, drinkin' out of a silver cup

McKinley in the graveyard, he never wakes up

He's gone a long, long time

Ain't but the one thing that grieves my mind

That is to die and leave my poor wife behind

I'm gone a long old time

Standing at the station, just lookin' at the time

See by it you're running by half-past nine

From Buffalo to Washington



Pay in the train, she's just on time

She'll run a thousand miles from eight o'clock till nine

From Buffalo to Washington



Yonder comes the train, she's comin' down the line

Throwin' them a station message, McKinley's a-dyin'

It's hard times, hard times



Look a-here, you rascal, you see what you've done

You shot my husband with that Ivor Johnstone gun

Carry him back to Washington

The doc told the horse, he tore down the rein

Said to that horse, "You've got to outrun this train

From Buffalo to Washington"



Doctor came a-running, taked off his specs

Said "Mr. McKinley, better cash in your checks

You're bound to die, bound to die"



@murder @America @death

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