Song Lyrics

Friends this is a true story that happened in the hills of western North Carolina in the year 1928. This tragedy occured near the little town of Danburry in Stokes county in the state of North Carolina. It's absolutely true. This man murdered his family, his wife, and himself. His name was Charlie Lawson, and this song is entitled, "The Story of the Lawson Family."

It was long last Christmas evening
The snow was on the ground
At his home in North Carolina
The murderer, he was found

His name was Charlie Lawson
And he had a loving wife
But they never knew what caused him
To take his family's life

They say he killed his wife at first
While the little one did cry
Please papa won't you spare us
How it is so hard to die

But the raging man could not be stopped
He would not heed their call
He kept on firing fatal shots
And there he killed them off

They say he killed his wife at first
While the little ones did cry
Please papa won't you spare us
How it is so hard to die

They did not carry him to jail
No lawyers would be paid
They'll have his trial in another land
On the final judgement day

They all were all buried in a crowded grave
While the angels watched from above
Come home, come home my little ones
To the land of peace and God

And... farewell ...
I'll see you there no more
But when we meet in another land
Our trouble will be gone

Carter Stanley, Ralph Stanley

The duration of The Story of the Lawson Family is 2:31 minutes and seconds.