Folk Bloodbath - Josh Ritter

Louis Collins took a trip out West

When he returned, little Delia had gone to rest

The angels laid her away

Louis said to Delia

«That's the sad thing with life

There’s people always leavin' just as other folks arrive.»

The angels laid her away

And when the people heard that Delia was dead

All of them gentlemen they dressed in red

The angels laid her away

The angels laid her away

Laid her six feet under the clay

The angels laid her away

Louis went downtown for a new suit of clothes

He’s gonna dress up for Delia like a fine red rose

The angels laid him away

He brought a ten-gallon Stetson

It was ox blood red

Stackalee shot Louis in the back of his head

The angels laid him away

Stackalee said to Louis

«Now don’t you grieve

I’m sending you to Delia, you won’t ever have to leave.»

The angels laid him away

The angels laid him away

Laid him six feet under the clay

The angels laid him away

Well the judge was a mean one

His name was Hangin' Billy Lyons

He said, «You always been a bad man, Stack

You’re gonna hang this time.»

The angels lay you away

Well the jailer said to Stackalee

«What's the problem with you?'»

«Well jailer, Louis Collins' ghost brought Delia’s with him, too.»

The angels laid him away

The angels laid him away

Laid him six feet under the clay

The angels laid him away

Well they buried little Delia

In the church yard deep

With Louis Collins at her head

Stackalee at her feet

The angels laid them away

Out of Delia’s bed came briars

Out of Louis’s bed a rose

Out of Stackalee’s came Stackalee’s cold, lonely, little ghost

The angels laid them away

The angels laid them away

Laid them six feet under the clay

The angels laid them away

And I’m looking over rooftops

And I’m hoping it ain’t true

That the same God s’lookin out for them

S’lookin out for me and you

The angels laid them away

The angels laid them away

Yes the angels laid them away