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Norton Buffalo — Hangin' Tree
Album: Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon
Avg rating:
5.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 321









Released: 1977
Length: 5:20
Plays (last 30 days): 0
The men, women and children gathered round that hangin' tree
The word was out a young man soon would die
But no one seemed concerned enough to tell his family
Of just exactly where his bones would lie
Oh, yes, they had a trial
But it didn't last too long
The judge began to smile, as they sang that hangin' song

They said:
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree
Cause what you done was in the first degree
We'll send a preacher to bless your soul
Then we'll dig that six foot hole
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

From the black hills he'd come, into the town of Parmelee
He saw a man bleeding and dying on the ground
Jumped off his horse to help the man
But as he reached his knees
Heard the dying words, "Son, don't go near that town."
Then a dozen men appeared, and they saw what he had found
They blamed him for the killing, then they led him into town

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree
Cause what you done was in the first degree
We'll send a preacher to bless your soul
Then we'll dig that six foot hole
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Well, the marshal of this town was a crook named Willie B
He had beady eyes and a badge upon his chest
He told the crowd outside the jail, as calmly as could be
"I caught him, so now you can do the rest."
Well they drug him to the courthouse
And they held a makeshift trial
The judge he dropped his hammer, and that crowd began to smile

They said:
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree
Cause what you done was in the first degree
We'll send a preacher to bless your soul
Then we'll dig that six foot hole
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

The young man bowed in silence, as he said a word of prayer
Forgive them lord, they know not what they've done
Then he grabbed the guard beside him, and he headed for the door
Sayin, "Leave me be, or he'll die from his own gun."
On a horse he headed out of town
With a posse close behind
And they were riding hard and fast, with one thing on their mind

Suddenly, the preacher appeared upon the road
He said, "Turn around, and let the boy go free
For I done saw the killin', and me story shall be told
That the murderer was you marshal, Willie B."
Well that posse looked in disbelief, ashamed for what they'd done
That man had run this town too long
But now his day had come

We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree
Cause what he done was in the first degree
We'll send a preacher to bless his soul
Then we'll dig that six foot hole
We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree
Cause what you done was in the first degree
We'll send a preacher to bless your soul
Then we'll dig that six foot hole
We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Yes we're gonna hang that ol' marshal Willie B
We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree
Comments (34)add comment
 FlatCat wrote:


Ah, the glories of the internet. I would seriously consider deleting this comment, my friend.
 
His name is Dick Head so I think you might be asking too much of him.
 FlatCat wrote:


Ah, the glories of the internet. I would seriously consider deleting this comment, my friend.
 

It's Radio Paradise, not Radio Patronization.  Comment stands. 
 Riccardo_Cabeza wrote:
Just bc he's you friend...
 

Ah, the glories of the internet. I would seriously consider deleting this comment, my friend.
Just bc he's you friend, that fukcing song sucks hard.  
Don't play it.  If fact, I'm glad he's shuffled off his 
mortal coil

I hated that song so much you made me log in after thee years.
Christ that song sucked
woow
Well, that was . . . interesting.
 Art_Carnage wrote:
Only 2 things are wrong with this: It's over 5 minutes long. It's not never good.
 
Double negative. So, you like it.
Ain't that right, Mr. Dillon?
 kingart wrote:
Ghost Riders in the Sky by any other name.
 

Wrong. SO wrong.
Nice story about your friend Bill.
 nagsheadlocal wrote:
Wow, haven't heard ol' Norton in ages. Sad to hear he's passed away.

Many moons ago (when I wore a younger man's clothes) I saw Norton on a double-bill with Commander Cody. Much beer and many mellow cigarettes were consumed by the crowd and a very good time was had by all.
 
Saw him with Steve Miller many moons ago.
i'm hearing Stan Ridgeway...
I wouldn't be surprised to learn this was featured by Dr. Demento back in the day....wow....I went 5 to 7 now cuz he seems like he was a cool dude.  Long Live RP!!
sO Norton was buddy of Bill....I wonder if any of that SMB scientologie got spread around Paradise.....??
Loved hearing him with SMB.  Norton and Magic Dick are my favorite '70s harp gods.
Ghost Riders in the Sky by any other name.
I saw him with the Steve Miller band in 1976 at the Uptown Theatre in Chicago and then just a couple years before he passed away - again with Steve Miller.  He made that harp smoke!  Just a great musician and an amazing asset to whoever he played with.
It wants to be a work of dark humor like, oh, say, pretty much anything Warren Zevon ever wrote, but it fails miserably at being either dark or funny.
 WonderLizard wrote:
I love this album! The title cut, "Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon," is worth the price of admission. "Hangin' Tree" is pure gravy. Just heard Bill say that Norton passed away. Very, very sad. He was an amazing harp player and all around good guy. Check out his discs with blues guitarist Roy Rogers. Sublime.
 
He was a great session player; he worked with people like Bonnie Riatt, Elvin Bishop, Johnny Cash and many others. He also spent 25 years as a member of The Steve Miller Band. Talented guy. RIP.

Please never play this ridiculous song again. This guy's voice is all over the place and the song itself sucks!

 thomasd2 wrote:
I used to have this on vinyl.  I have searched high and low for it but can't find it.  I love the harp.  Very unique.
 
Something can't be "very unique". Unique is an absolute. Something is either unique, or it isn't. There's no middle ground.

A good time to go listen to some of my new CDs...
Only 2 things are wrong with this: It's over 5 minutes long. It's not never good.
Wow, haven't heard ol' Norton in ages. Sad to hear he's passed away.

Many moons ago (when I wore a younger man's clothes) I saw Norton on a double-bill with Commander Cody. Much beer and many mellow cigarettes were consumed by the crowd and a very good time was had by all.
 islander wrote:

Just caught that too. Too bad, he was great. We had the opportunity to see him here w/ Roy Rogers a couple years ago - fantastic show.

 
Ditto. His impression of Walter Brennan was a stitch, nevermind Norton's prowess with a tray full of harmonicas. We could use more nice guys like him.

I was hoping this would be funny, so it would have some redeeming feature.
I used to have this on vinyl.  I have searched high and low for it but can't find it.  I love the harp.  Very unique.
Raw hide

where Is the bullwhips ?
 mandolin wrote:
...huh!..
 
Uh huh....thanks for RP.

 WonderLizard wrote:
I love this album! The title cut, "Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon," is worth the price of admission. "Hangin' Tree" is pure gravy. Just heard Bill say that Norton passed away. Very, very sad. He was an amazing harp player and all around good guy. Check out his discs with blues guitarist Roy Rogers. Sublime.

 
Just caught that too. Too bad, he was great. We had the opportunity to see him here w/ Roy Rogers a couple years ago - fantastic show.

...that's some virtuoso harp at the finish...
Bonanza? Ponderosa?  Little Joe?  Hos?
I love this album! The title cut, "Lovin' in the Valley of the Moon," is worth the price of admission. "Hangin' Tree" is pure gravy. Just heard Bill say that Norton passed away. Very, very sad. He was an amazing harp player and all around good guy. Check out his discs with blues guitarist Roy Rogers. Sublime.

Would've given this a 3, but I was the first to rate this song, so I felt pretty special and it improved my mood. Hence the high high rating.

...huh!..