Pretty Boy Floyd ¹

Woody Guthrie © 1958 (renewed) Sanga Music Inc

Concert at Gerde's Folk City, NYC - 1.oct.1961  
  ▵ Previously unreleased (as of october 2025)

If you gather 'round me, children
A story I will tell
About Pretty Boy Floyd, the outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well

It was in the town of Shawnee
On a saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in his wagon
And into town they rode

Well a deputy sheriff approached him
In a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of language
An' his wife she overheard

Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain
And the deputy grabbed his gun
And in the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down

Now they took to the hills in wood land
To live the life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma
Was added to his name

Now among many starving farmer
There's a same old story told
How the outlaw paid their mortgage
Just to save their little home

Others tell you of a stranger
That come to beg a meal
And underneath the napkin
Left a thousand dollar bill

T'was in Oklahoma City
T'was on a Christmas day
There come a whole car load of grocery
And a letter that did say

"Now you say that I'm an outlaw
 And you say that I'm a thief
 Well, here's a Christmas dinner
 For the families on relief"

Well, as through this world you rambled
You've seen lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a .6 gun
And some with a fountain pen

But as through this world you ramble
As through this world you roam
You won't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home. 
    

Pretty Boy Floyd ²

Down In The Groove session, Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood CA - 16.jun.1987  

If you'll gather 'round me, people
A story I will tell
About Pretty Boy Floyd, an outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well.

It was in the town of Shawnee
On a saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in a wagon
And into town they rode

There a deputy sheriff approached him
In a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of language
An' his wife she overheard

Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain
And the deputy grabbed his gun
And in the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down

Now he took to the hills and timber
To live the life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma
Was added to his name

He took to the trees and timber
On the Canadian river shore
And Pretty Boy found a welcome
At every farmer's door

Others tell you of a stranger
That come to beg a meal
And underneath the napkin
Left a thousand dollar bill

T'was in Oklahoma City
It was on a Christmas Day
There come a whole car load of groceries
And a letter that did say

"You say that I'm an outlaw
 You say that I'm a thief
 Well, here's a Christmas dinner
 For the families on relief"

Well, as through this world I've rambled
I've seen lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a six-gun
And some with a fountain pen

But as through this world you ramble
As through this world you roam
You won't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home. 
    

Pretty Boy Floyd ³

Live, Other End, NYC - 3.jul.1975  

If you'll gather round me, children
A story I will tell
'bout Pretty Boy Floyd, an outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well

It was in the town of Shawnee
It was saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in the wagon
As into town they rode

A deputy sheriff approached him 
In a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of anger
And his wife she overheard

Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain
The deputy grabbed his gun
And in the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down

It was in Oklahoma City
It was on a Christmas day
There come a car load of groceries
With a letter that did say

"You say that I'm an outlaw
 You say that I'm a thief.
 Now there's a Christmas dinner
 For the families on relief"

Yes as through this world I ramble
I see lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a .6 gun
And some with a fountain pen

And as through your life you'll travel
And as through this life you'll roam
You won't never see no outlaw
Drive a family from their home. 
    

Pretty Boy Floyd ⁴

Bridge Benefit Concert, Oakland CA - 4.dec.1988  

If you'll gather 'round me, people
A story I will tell
About Pretty Boy Floyd, an outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well

T'was in the town of Shawnee
T'was on a Saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in a wagon
An' into town they rode

There a deputy sheriff approached him
In a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of language
An' his wife she overheard

Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain,
And the deputy grabbed his gun
And in the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down

Now he took to the hills and timber
To live the life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma
Was added to his name

There's many a starving farmer
The same old story told
How this outlaw paid their mortgage
And saved their little homes

Others tell you of a stranger
That come to beg a meal
And underneath the napkin
Left a thousand dollar bill

T'was in Oklahoma City,
It was on a Christmas Day,
Come a whole car load of groceries
And a letter that did say

"You say that I'm an outlaw,
 You say that I'm a thief
 Well, here's a Christmas dinner
 For the families on relief"

Well, as through this world I've rambled
Seen lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a six-gun
Some with a fountain pen

But as through this world i ramble
As through this world i roam
I ain't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home.