- Written by
- Unknown author(s)
- Language
- English
- Comments
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This is an American folk song originating in North Carolina that arises out of a much contemporaneously reported on and much researched murder, the killing of Laura (or Laurie) Foster in 1866. Tom Dula, pronounced "Dooley" in the part of North Carolina from which he heralded, was twice convicted of the murder and was ultimately hung in 1868, slightly less than two years after the murder. The verdict remains controversial to this date.
The motive for the murder is uncertain. Some sources claim that Laura Foster was pregnant with Dula's child, and the pair were to elope on the day that the murder occurred. Many believe the murder was actually carried out by Ann Melton, who had been Dula's lover. A third lover of Dula's, Pauline Foster (Ann Melton's cousin), introduced syphilis into the group, but Dula and Melton appear to have blamed Laura Foster and one or both of them may have killed her in revenge.
Some sources state or imply that the song was actually written by Captain Thomas Land, who had a local reputation as a poet. Land did write a poem entitled "The Murder of Laura Foster", which was intended to be read - not sung - shortly after the murder occurred. It is lyrically not the same as "Tom Dula". It is entirely possible that Land's poem and the song "Tom Dooley" were independently created, albeit based on the same event.
Whatever its origins, the song quickly became popular in the North Carolina area. Some of the early recordings were made by artists who had relatives who knew the protagonists or who were involved in the events. The first commerical recording of the song was by G.B. Grayson & Henry Whitter in 1929. G.B. Grayson was the nephew of Colonel James Grayson, who employed Dula for a week while he was on the run and who led the arresting party. Doc Watson, who recorded the song in 1964, learned it from his grandmother who knew Ann Melton and who may have been present when she died. An important version that did not have a direct connection to the events depicted was by The Folksay Trio. This version was the first to include the pause between the words "Tom" and "Dooley" in the chorus.
In 1937, song collectors Frank and Ann Warner recorded Frank Proffitt performing "Tom Dula". Proffitt was another who had a familial connection with the song, learning it from his grandmother who knew both Tom Dula and Laura Foster. Frank Warner released his own version in 1952, after having shared the song with Alan Lomax, who published it in his 1947 collection entitled "Folk Songs USA". This was the source of the well-known version by The Kingston Trio, which was successfully sued for copyright infringement for using the arrangement appearing in the Lomax book. The case was resolved with an agreement that future profits from the Kingston Trio version be paid to a company owned by Frank Warner, John Lomax and Alan Lomax. An arrangement seems to have been made by the trio with Proffitt, whereby he received 50% of the profits payable to the trio's company. Because of this case, the song is often credited to "Trad./ arr. Lomax/Warner/Proffitt". Proffitt released his own version in 1962. - Licensing
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Song
Versions
Tom Dula written by unknown author(s) English
Tom Dula instrumental
Tom Dooley written by Jan Vyčítal, Vít Hrubín Czech
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Honza Vyčítal | 1995 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Eduard Krečmar Czech
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Ladislav Vodička a jeho modrej vlak | 1996 | First recording in 1996 | ||
| Tom Dooley | Scarabeus | 1996 |
Tom Dooley written by Torsten Tanning Danish
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Preben Uglebjerg med Four Pals - Johannes Rasmussen og hans orkester | 1958 | First release | ||
| Tom Dooley | Four Jacks med Jørn Grauengårds orkester | January 1959 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Jacks [DK] | 1996 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Helge Leonhardt og Klaus Birck | 2002 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Jesper Lohmann - Stig Rossen - Jesper Asholt - Keld Heick | November 2008 | Medley |
Tom Doely written by Bobbejaan Schoepen, Johnny Steggerda Dutch
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Doely | Bobbejaan Schoepen | 1959 | First release |
More Money for You and Me written by Bruce Belland, Glen Larson English
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| More Money for You and Me Medley | The Four Preps | May 1961 | First release Hit song Live Medley |
Ballad of Syd Levy written by unknown author(s) English
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballad of Syd Levy | Allan Lieberman | 2005 | First release |
Laulu Tom Dooleysta written by Sauvo Puhtila Finnish
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laulu Tom Dooleysta | Kauko Käyhkö ja Ossi Malisen yhtye | 1958 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Reino Helismaa Finnish
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Olavi Virta | 1959 | First recording on February 13, 1959 First release |
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| Tom Dooley | Matti Heinivaho | 1971 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Henrik & Mosaic | December 1981 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Kari Tapio | 1984 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Topi Sorsakoski | 1999 |
Tom Dooley written by Jacques Plante French
Fais ta prière written by Max François French
Tom Dooley written by Arno Gillo German
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Die Nilsen Brothers | November 1958 | First release | ||
| Tom Dooley | Das Tom Dooley-Trio | February 1959 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Bruce Low | 1961 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Heino | 1973 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Medium Terzett | 1974 | |||
| Tom Dooley | Ralf Paulsen | 1998 |
Tom Dooley written by Christian Bruhn, Günter Loose German
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Jonny Hill | January 1974 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Theo Rausch German
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Ralf Bendix | 1975 | First release |
Die Wahrheit über Tom Dooley written by Peter Held German
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Die Wahrheit über Tom Dooley | Freddy Quinn | 1992 | First release |
Útlaginn written by Jón Sigurðsson [IS1] Icelandic
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Útlaginn | Óðinn Valdimarsson og Atlantic kvartettinn | 1959 | First release | ||
| Útlaginn | Ragnar Bjarnason | 1965 | |||
| Eiríksjökull | Sólheimakórinn | 2015 |
Upp undir Laugarásnum written by Haraldur Sigurðsson, Þórhallur Sigurðsson Icelandic
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upp undir Laugarásnum | Halli og Laddi | 1977 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Gian Carlo Testoni Italian
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | Guido Guarnera - Poker di Voci - William Galassini e la sua orchestra | 1959 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Ilio Benvenuti Italian
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Dooley | The Gaylords | April 1961 | First release | ||
| Tom Dooley | Bobby Solo | 1966 |
Who Stole My Provolone? written by Ray Allen, Wandra Merrell, Marie Scaglione Multiple languages
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who Stole My Provolone? | Lou Monte | October 1963 | First release |
Tom Dooley written by Lennart Hellsing Swedish
Tom Dooley written by Rafael de Penagos Spanish (not verified yet)