FACT ABOUT BAD TOM SMITH

                        Reference: BOOK, THE HANGING OF “BAD TOM” SMITH

 Pages 33-35

BY:  CHARLES HAYES, 1969

Sponsored by Breathitt County Historical Society

 Transcribed by J.B. Francis, 21 Nov 2006

  TOM SMITH THE SONG WRITER

            “Bad Tom Smith was a songwriter.  Since early childhood he had especially liked to write and sing his own song ballads.  Often he was asked to sing before groups at social gatherings.  His fame as a singer followed his infamous deeds as if the two belonged together.

            Even on the day of his hanging Smith was harassed to sing for the masses gathered in Jackson.  Sheriff Combs has much trouble in the jail all during Smith’s last week.  Scores of persons came hoping to persuade Smith to sing.  Very seldom, however, in that, his last week did Smith sing.  If the crowd was in the mood for songs, Smith certainly was not.   This was his last week, songs came hard.  But if in a rare occasion Smith rose to sing, all in the jail hurried to his calls. Standing near the bars, but not too close.

            Not only did Smith sing for the crowds gathered in the jail, but usually he rang forth in his won words.  He nearly always sang his own songs.  These same songs had been composed by Smith while he waited in dense forests hoping for a next victim to come along or while he spent countless hours in a jail cell, paying for his crimes.

            Probably all of Smith’s many songs have been lost or not recorded except one.  This sole representative of Smith’s works lives on only because Smith sang it to members of the press the day before he was hung.  The slick duos from the Bluegrass were somewhat taken by surprise when Smith’s clear voice began.  The song, not written for his last occasion, was although very appropriate for Smith’s last song sung.

            Thus Smith sung:

                                                DON’T GRIEVE AFTER ME

                                                                        I

                                    I am going to walk through the Valley in peace

                                    I am going to walk through the Valley in peace;

                                    Oh! when I am dead and buried

                                    In my cold, silent tomb,

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me.

                                                                        II

                                    I am going to lay down my life for the Lord

                                    I am going to lay down my life for the Lord;

                                    Oh! when I am dead and buried

                                    In my cold, silent tomb,

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me.

                                                                        III

                                    I am going to leave all my friends in peace

                                    I am going to leave all my friends in peace;

                                    Oh!  Oh! when I am dead and buried

                                    In my cold, silent tomb,

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me.

                                                CHORUS:

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me;

                                    Oh! when I am dead and buried

                                    In my cold, silent tomb,

                                    I don’t want you to grieve after me

                                                                                    __Tom Smith

                                    End quote.