“Jimmy Burse”

Description

"I saw the undertakers leavin' With a casket in the hearse... The remains of Jimmy Burse." Burse goes out to transport a convict in his car, but is shot by the prisoner York. Burse is buried; the singer hopes he will find justice

Historical references

  • 1932 - Murder of taxi driver Jim Burrus. Shellans prints a newspaper chronology of the saga.

References

  1. Shellans, pp. 70-71, "Jimmy Burse" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Roud #7323
  3. BI, Sel070

About

Author: unknown (but very possibly by someone in the Vass family)
Earliest date: 1957 (collected by Shellans from Ruby Vass, who had a manuscript dated 1937)
Found in: US(SE)