Anthology of American Folk Music
Volume 1: Ballads, Track 16

CHARLES GITEAU
Kelly Harrell and the Virginia String Band

Recorded Camden, NJ: March 23, 1927
Kelly Harrell, vocal; Posey Rorer, fiddle; Raymond D. Hundley, banjo; Alfred Steagall, guitar
Originally released on Victor 20797B

For a biography and information on Harrell see Track 14..

Charles Giteau assassinated President James Garfield on July 2, 1881. Tried and found guilty, he was hung June 30, 1882.  "Broadside ballads" were songs written about recent events and tragedies. Their composers set their poems to traditional or well-known popular tunes, and then printed and sold the texts as inexpensive song sheets. (For this reason, they were sometimes called "penny ballads.") Some broadside ballads had very short lives; however, others are still performed. The Garfield assassination inspired a number of broadside ballads; this one continues to be popular.

OTHER RECORDED VERSIONS INCLUDE:
Traditional American Folk: as Charles Giteau: Clorine Lawson (Merriweather 1001/2a); Bascom Lamar Lunsford (LC AFSL29a).

Folksong revival: as Charles Giteau: Crabgrass (AH 4001a); The Southern Eagle String Band (BF 15010a). 

For related ballads dealing with Giteau see Mr. Garfield (Norman Blake (SH 6001c); and another ballad called Charles Gitaw by Wilmer Watts (PAR 3232b). The Library of Congress recording, Ballads of American History and the Assasination of Presidents (LC AFSl29a) might also be of interest.