Duncan & Brady
Words & Music:
Traditional American
Covered by Bob Dylan,
Leadbelly, Hoyt Axton and a host of others. Most pick & choose from the
verses. Some omit the chorus
altogether. David Hodge has an
arrangement of this in the June 2007 issue of Acoustic Guitar. The venerable Mudcat Cafˇ provided the
Leadbelly lyrics.
1. Version 1
by David Hodge
D
Em A
Down in St. Louis at 12th
& Carr,
D
Em A7 D
Big Bill Brady was a-tendin'
bar.
D
Em A
In walked old Duncan, a star
on his chest
D
Em
A7 D
Duncan said, "Brady,
you're under arrest."
CHORUS:
D G A D G E7 A
Brady, why didn't you
run? Brady, you should-a run.
D G A D
Brady, why didn't you run
D
Em E7 A7
When you saw Old Duncan comin'
in with his gun?
2. Version 2
by Bob Dylan
C
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
G
'Long comes Brady in his
'lectric car
G
Got a mean look right in his
eye
C
Gonna shoot somebody jus' to
watch him die
F
C
He been on the job too long
Duncan, Duncan was tending the
bar
'Long came Brady with his
shiny star
"Duncan," said
Brady, "you are under arrest"
Duncan shot a hole right in
Brady's chest
He been on the job too long.
Old King Brady was a big, fat
man
Doctor looked down, and took
hold of his hand
reached for his pulse, the
doctor said
"I believe to my soul,
king Brady, you're dead"
He been on the job too long
Up upon the hillside, eight
hundred at hand,
vases of roses standing around
[...] horses and a
rubber-tired hack
bring him down to the
graveyard, it won't bring him back.
He been on the job too long
When the women all heard King
Brady was dead,
They went home and they'd be
back in red [raggin' red?]
Slippin' and a-slidin',
shuffelin' down the street,
In their big mother hubbards
and their stockin' feet.
He been on the job too long
"Brady, Brady, Brady, you
know you done wrong
breakin' in here when this
game's goin' on
Bustin' down the window,
tearin' down the door
Now you lyin' dead on the
barroom floor
You been on the job too
long."
Twinkle, twinkle, little star
'Long comes Brady in his
'lectric car
Got a mean look in his eye
Gonna shoot somebody jus' to
watch him die
He been on the job too long.
G
C
He been on the job too long.
3. Version 3 by Leadbelly
Twinkle, twinkle, twinkle,
little star
Up comes Brady in a 'lectric
car
Got a mean look all 'round his
eye
Gonna shoot somebody jus' to
see them die
Duncan, Duncan was tending the
bar
In walked Brady with a shining
star
And Brady says, "Duncan
you are under arrest
And Duncan shot a hole in
Brady's breast.
Brady, Brady carried a '45,
Said it would shoot half a
mile,
Duncan had a '44
That what laid Mr. Brady so
low.
Brady fell down on the barroom
floor,
"Please Mr. Duncan don'
shoot me no more
Women all cryin, ain't it a
shame,
Shot King Brady, goin' shoot
him again.
"Brady, Brady, Brady, you
know you done wrong
Walkin' in the room when the
game was goin' on
Knockin down windows, breakin'
down the door
Now you lyin' dead on the
grocery [barroom] floor.
Women all heard that Brady was
dead,
Goes back home and they
dresses in red.
Come a snifflin' and a sighin'
down the street,
In their big mother hubbards
and their stockin' feet.
Note: Leadbelly omitted the
first verse; others have added the
chorus:
'Cause he been on the job too
long.
4. Version 4 by Leadbelly
Duncan, Duncan was tending the
bar,
In walked Brady with a shining
star,*
And Brady says, "Duncan
you are under arrest,"
And Duncan shot a hole in
Brady's breast.
Brady, Brady carried a '45,
Said it would shoot half a
mile,
Duncan had a '44
That what laid Mr. Brady so
low.
Brady fell down on the
bar-room floor,
"Please Mr. Duncan don'
shoot me no more,"
Women all cryin, ain't it a
shame,
Shot King Brady, goin' shoot
him again.
"Brady, Brady, Brady, you
know you done wrong,
Walkin' in the room when the
game was goin' on,
Knockin down windows, breakin'
down the door,
Now you lyin' dead on the
grocery floor.
Women all heard that Brady was
dead,
Goes back home and they
dresses in red.
Come a snifflin' and a sighin'
down the street,
In their big mother hubbards
and their stockin' feet.
or [Up drives Brady in his
'lectric car]