Mister Garfield (Has Been Shot Down)
Written: J Elliot
Recorded: March 11, 1965 Nashville, Tennessee
Source: Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West
Originally released in 1965 as Columbia Records C25 838
Mister Garfield's been shot down, shot down, shot down
Mister Garfield's been shot down low
Me and my brother was down close to the depot
When I heard the report of a pistol
My brother ran out and came back in all excited
And I said "What was it?"
And he said," It was the report of a pistol"
And then he said....
Mister Garfield's been shot down, shot down, shot down
Mister Garfield's been shot down low
Lawd, I knew the President was supposed to be at the depot that day
And we just wouldn't believe he was shot
But we ran over there
And there was so many folks around we couldn't see him
But some lady was standing there crying
And I said," Ma'am what was it that happened?"
And she said...
Mister Garfield's been shot down, shot down, shot down
Mister Garfield's been shot down low
Well everyone drifted off toward home finally
And they looked like they felt just about as bad as I did
But in a few weeks I heard that the President was still alive
And I told my brother
I said, " Let's get on that train and go to where he's laid up hurt"
Well, when we got to his big house up there I asked a feller
I said," Who was it that did it? Who was it that shot the President"
And he said," It was Charlie Guiteau that shot Mister Garfield"
And I said....
Charlie Guiteau done shot down a good man, good man
Charlie Guiteau done shot down a good man low
I heard some feller there that had been in the house to see the President
I siddled up to him to listen what he was telling
And he said that Mrs. Lucreesha Garfield was always at his side
In the heat of the day fanning him when he was hot
He said that just that day the President had said to Mrs. Lucreesha
He said," Creet honey..." ( he called her Creet)
Said," If something worse happens to me after a while
You go get yourself a good man"
And Mrs. Lucreesha said," James..." (she called him James)
She said," I won't hear to that now, I love you too much"
But he said....
You'll make some good man a good wife, good wife
You'll make some man a good, good wife
Don't pull a single harness all your life good gal'
Don't pull a single harness all your life
That's what he said, " Don't pull a single harness all your life"
A few days later I came back to where the President was resting
And it seemed everybody was crying
The flag was hanging halfway up the flagpole in front of the house
And everybody looked so sad and I asked a soliderboy there
I said,"Is-Is Mis-Mister Garfield....?"
And he said," Yes, he's gone"
Gonna lay him in that cold lonesome ground down low
Gonna lay him in that cold lonesome ground
Mister Garfield's been laid in that cold lonesome ground below
Mister Garfield's been laid down low
Mister Garfield's been shot down, shot down, shot down
Mister Garfield's been shot down low
(Fade ........................)
Mister Garfield's been shot down, shot down, shot down
Mister Garfield's been shot down low
