They Killed Another Man

Odetta aka Odetta Felious Holmes performs a version of the traditional chain gang song, Another Man Done Gone.

 

According to the Secondhand Songs website. the first known recording was by Vera Hall in October 1940, released circa 1942. 

 

Odetta released her version in November 1956 on the album Odetta Sings Ballads And Blues, with this performance coming from an appearance on Belgian TV show Face Au Public on 5th December 1964. 

 

I originally heard the former courtesy of Straight To You, an Uncut magazine promo CD in 2010. The song also popped up on Murder Ballads, a cover mounted compilation CD with Mojo magazine in 2017. Unsurprisingly, as the titles suggest, both CDs were subtitled as songs that inspired Nick Cave. Both recommended, if you see a copy of either in a charity shop.

There have been dozens of cover versions since, most of which I've never heard, and whilst Vera Hall set the bar high with her a capella take, there's something about Odetta's voice, accompanied only by her own handclaps, that gets me every time.

 

This is an adapted version of the lyrics from the TV performance, excising a reference to the man being hung from a tree whilst his children watch, which was likely a home truth too far for TV audiences back in the early Sixties.

 

Another man done gone 

Another man done gone 

Another man done gone from the county farm

Another man done gone 

I didn't know his name

I didn't know his name

I didn't know his name, didn't know his name

Didn't know his name

He had a long chain on

He had a long chain on

He had a long chain on, had a long chain on

Had a long chain on

They killed another man

They killed another man

They killed another man, killed another man

Killed another man

Another man done gone 

Another man done gone 

Another man done gone from the county farm

Another man done gone