Louis Armstrong - Long Gone (From The Bowlin' Green) Lyrics






Pops, did you hear the story of long John Dean?
Not yet drummer
A bold bank robber from Bowlin' Green
Was sent to the jail house yesterday
But late last night he made his getaway

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

Long John stood on the railroad tie
Waitin' for freight train to come by
Freight train came by puffin' and flyin'
Oughta seen long John grabbin' that blind

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
Long gone John from Bowlin' Green

They caught him in Frisco to seal his fate
At San Quentin they jailed him one evening late
But out on the ocean, John did escape
'Cause the guards forgot to close the Golden Gate

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

While they offered a reward to bring him back
Even put bloodhounds on his track
Those doggone bloodhounds lost his scent
Now nobody knows where John went

He was long gone from Kentucky
Long gone, ain't he lucky?
Long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

A gang of men tried to capture Dean
So they chased him with a submarine
Dean jumped overboard and grabbed the submarine
And made that gang catch a flyin' machine

He's long gone from Kentucky
A long gone, that boy's lucky?
A long gone, what I mean
A long gone John from Bowlin' Green

He's long gone, I said from Kentucky
Long gone, hmm that boy's lucky
Long gone, yeah he's got nothing in the head
Long gone, long gone





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Louis Armstrong Long Gone (From The Bowlin' Green) Comments
  1. C.... M....

    Velma Middleton always sounds as if she had lots of - what was known at the time as - "it"!

  2. D.... S....

    Trummy Young's trombone is tingle-inducing!

  3. M.... C....

    Eartha Kitt does an amazing rendition of this song.

  4. D.... K....

    love wc

  5. J.... C....

    Defiant Ones

  6. r.... ....

    Just started watching The Defiant Ones and this song showed up in the opening credits. Had to pause the movie to hear the song. Credits say the music is from W.C. Handy and words by Chris Smith. The song in the movie is Long Gone which was adapted from Long Gone (From Bowling Green). Very good song.

  7. d.... b....

    Worth looking out for the rehearsal versions of this (and others) from the W C Handy LP issued few years ago on CD. Great fun and great performances

  8. J.... P....

    I used to teach this song - but never heard this wonderful, immortal version (I got the music out of a W.C. Handy songbook. This is just glorious - thanks for posting!

  9. H.... P....

    Muchas gracias por compartirlo.

  10. P.... ....

    Thank you, this has been added to our playlists...

  11. S.... ....

    Such a wonderful song from a wonderful album. I get the chills everytime I listen to the album.

  12. a.... g....

    this just reminds me of the movie The Defiant Ones

  13. p.... ....

    The jazz historians worship Louis' "Hot Five" and "Hot Seven" recordings of the 1920's,and justifiably so,since they were definitive sessions of that period,and of Louis' importance. But Pops' band from this period also produced work of great quality,and this is the best example.Pure brilliance!!!

  14. p.... ....

    @bender138 Absolutely!!

  15. r.... ....

    @onion424 grabbing that blind.
    Now, what does a blind mean? The window stuff?

    r.... ....

    The "blind" is the front platform of a passenger train baggage car, so named (based on a few seconds on Google) because baggage was piled up inside so the outside couldn't be seen by the conductor or any passengers walking from car to car. It was the safest place to ride for hobos. In "Jay Gould's Daughter" there's a line, "Jay Gould's daughter said before she died, Papa fix the blinds so the bums can't ride, if ride they must let them ride the rods, let them put their trust in the hands of God."

  16. m.... d....

    this i hew great song ive ever heard

  17. b.... ....

    @busessuck1

    Yes,it was written by Chris Smith and W.C.Handy. I found this out by doing a web search for the lyrics.

    I have no idea who Chris Smith was or what else he wrote.

  18. b.... ....

    @bender138 this is handy's song?

  19. b.... ....

    The albom of W.C.Handy songs is one of the best albums ever produced. It borders on magic.

  20. f.... ....

    Thanks so much!

  21. M.... R....

    Thanks for this, ocosteau.
    Louis Armstrong and The All Stars
    July 12, 1954, Chicago, IL
    Louis Armstrong (Trumpet, Vocal)
    Velma Middleton (Vocal)
    Trummy Young (Trombone)
    Barney Bigard (Clarinet)
    Billy Kyle (Piano)
    Arvell Shaw (Bass)
    Barrett Deems (Drums)