Tom Dooley

Album: The Kingston Trio (1958)
Charted: 5 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first hit for the Kingston Trio, this song is about Tom Dula (pronounced Dooley) who was a real person. He was a gifted fiddle player and enjoyed the company of ladies. During the Civil War he served the Confederacy as a musician and was captured near the end of the war and held as a prisoner of war. After he was released he returned to his life and his relationship with Ann Melton and other women including Ann's cousin Laura Foster. On the day that he and Laura were to be married she disappeared and was found weeks later in a shallow grave. She had been stabbed in the heart. Tom knew that it was known he was the last known person to see her alive so he fled the county and went to work for Colonel James Grayson on his farm in a nearby county. Dula stayed long enough to earn money for a pair of boots and then left for Tennessee where the posse with assistance from Colonel Grayson found him. He was taken back to North Carolina and was represented by ex-Governor of North Carolina Zebulon Vance. After a much publicized trial and appeal he was found guilty and hanged in Statesville North Carolina. The graves of Laura and Ann are visited each year by a number of tourists. Tom's grave is on private property and is not open to the public. The "Tom Dooley" museum is located in Ferguson North Carolina. The reason for the murder is not known but it appears he may have killed her because of contracting a venereal disease from her. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Daniel - Salem, OR
  • At the very first Grammy Awards in 1958, this won for Best Country & Western Performance. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 6

  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyBob Shane, the last surviving original member of the popular folk group the Kingston Trio and the lead singer on their million-selling ballad “Tom Dooley”, passed away at the age of 85 on January 26th, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona...
    Between 1958 and 1963 the Kingston Trio had seventeen records on Billboard's Top 100 chart, two made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Tom Dooley", for one week on November 17th, 1958...
    Besides the above "Tom Dooley", their other Top 10 record was "The Reverend Mr. Black", it peaked at #8 for one week on May 12th, 1963...
    They also had five albums that peaked at #1 on Billboard's Top 100 Albums chart...
    May Mr. Shane R.I.P.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 3, 1959, the Kingston Trio appeared on the cover of the August 3rd issue of Life* magazine...
    At the time the trio's "M.T.A." was at #30 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, three weeks earlier it had peaked at #15 {for 1 week} and it spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    Between 1958 and 1963 the trio had seventeen records on the Top 100, two made the Top 10, "Tom Dooley" peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on November 17th, 1958 and "The Reverend Mr. Black" reached #8 {for 1 week} on May 12th, 1963...
    * http://www.oldlifemagazines.com/august-03-1959-life-magazine.html
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyHere's some obscure trivia:
    On February 3rd 1690, the Massachusetts colony issued America's first paper money, used to pay soldiers who were fighting in the war against Quebec...
    And two hundred-seventy three years later on January 20th, 1963 the Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #96; seven weeks later on March 10th it would peak at #21 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for11 weeks...
    The trio's next release, "The Reverend Mr. Black" would reach #8* and it also spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    R.I.P. Dave Guard {1934 - 1991}, Nick Reynolds {1933 - 2008}, and Bob Shane, born Robert Castle Schoen, celebrated his 82nd birthday two days ago on February 1st {2016}...
    * Their other Top 10 record was "Tom Dooley"; it peaked at #1 {for 1 week} on November 17th, 1958.
  • Brady from Niagara Falls, NyAll this time I thought this was a song about Tom Dooley, the famous Doctor of "Medico,' served in Laos and died of Cancer at 34 years of age.
    A very courageous man; Thank You Songfacts and Daniel of Salem, Or. for the truth
  • Francis from Philly, PaExcellent band, however I have been told several times that he was not actually the person who killed her.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaThe first song I remember hearing my parents play as a child an still one of my favorites. Such a perfect rendition of a mysterious circumstances, and what harmonies! Only equaled by the Beatles & Beach Boys. The Kingston Trio rule!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.