Bill Hayes
 

Ballad of Davy Crockett

Bill Hayes Music: George Bruns; Lyrics: Tom Blackburn
Chart Debut Weeks # Label
Seller Feb 1955 15 1 Cadence
Born on a mountain top in Tennessee greenest state in the land of the free raised in the woods so he knew ev'ry tree kilt him a b'ar when he was only three Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier! In eighteen thirteen the Creeks uprose addin' redskin arrows to the country's woes Now, Injun fightin' is somethin' he knows, so he shoulders his rifle an' off he goes Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear! Off through the woods he's a marchin' along makin' up yarns an' a singin' a song itchin' fer fightin' an' rightin' a wrong he's ringy as a b'ar an' twict as strong Davy, Davy Crockett, the buckskin buccaneer! Andy Jackson is our gen'ral's name his reg'lar soldiers we'll put to shame Them redskin varmints us Volunteers'll tame 'cause we got the guns with the sure-fire aim Davy, Davy Crockett, the champion of us all!~ Headed back to war from the ol' home place but Red Stick was leadin' a merry chase fightin' an' burnin' at a devil's pace south to the swamps on the Florida Trace Davy, Davy Crockett, trackin' the redskins down! Fought single-handed through the Injun War till the Creeks was whipped an' peace was in store An' while he was handlin' this risky chore made hisself a legend for evermore Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier! He give his word an' he give his hand that his Injun friends could keep their land An' the rest of his life he took the stand that justice was due every redskin band Davy, Davy Crockett, holdin' his promise dear! Home fer the winter with his family happy as squirrels in the ol' gum tree bein' the father he wanted to be close to his boys as the pod an' the pea Davy, Davy Crockett, holdin' his young'uns dear! But the ice went out an' the warm winds came an' the meltin' snow showed tracks of game An' the flowers of Spring filled the woods with flame an' all of a sudden life got too tame Davy, Davy Crockett, headin' on West again! Off through the woods we're ridin' along makin' up yarns an' singin' a song He's ringy as a b'ar an' twict as strong an' knows he's right 'cause he ain' often wrong Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear! Lookin' fer a place where the air smells clean where the trees is tall an' the grass is green where the fish is fat in an untouched stream an' the teemin' woods is a hunter's dream Davy, Davy Crockett, lookin' fer Paradise! Now he's lost his love an' his grief was gall in his heart he wanted to leave it all an' lose himself in the forests tall but he answered instead his country's call Davy, Davy Crockett, beginnin' his campaign! Needin' his help they didn't vote blind They put in Davy 'cause he was their kind sent up to Nashville the best they could find a fightin' spirit an' a thinkin' mind Davy, Davy Crockett, choice of the whole frontier! The votes were counted an' he won hands down so they sent him off to Washin'ton town with his best dress suit still his buckskins brown a livin' legend of growin' renown Davy, Davy Crockett, the Canebrake Congressman! He went off to Congress an' served a spell fixin' up the Govern'ments an' laws as well took over Washin'ton so we heered tell an' patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear! Him an' his jokes travelled all through the land an' his speeches made him friends to beat the band His politickin' was their favorite brand an' everyone wanted to shake his hand Davy, Davy Crockett, helpin' his legend grow! He knew when he spoke he sounded the knell of his hopes for White House an' fame as well But he spoke out strong so hist'ry books tell an' patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell Davy, Davy Crockett, seein' his duty clear! When he come home his politickin' done the western march had just begun So he packed his gear an' his trusty gun an' lit out grinnin' to follow the sun Davy, Davy Crockett, leadin' the pioneer! He heard of Houston an' Austin so to the Texas plains he jest had to go Where freedom was fightin' another foe an' they needed him at the Alamo Davy, Davy Crockett, the man who don't know fear! His land is biggest an' his land is best from grassy plains to the mountain crest He's ahead of us all meetin' the test followin' his legend into the West Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!