Poor Ellen Smith

Song composer(s)

Traditional

Grateful Dead Recordings

Not recorded by the Dead

Dead Related Recordings

No Dead related recordings entered

Other Recordings

Henry Whitter & The Dykes Magic City Trio (193?)
Molly O'Day (194?)
North Carolina Ballads : Artus Moser (1955)
Bowling Green : Kossoy Sisters with Erik Darling (1956)
Banjo Tunes & Songs : Pete Steele (1958)
Cecil Surratt & Smitty Smith (1959)
Folk Music USA, Vol. 1 : Pete Steele (1959)
Country Songs, Old and New : Country Gentlemen (1960)
Traditional Music from Grayson and Carroll Counties, Virginia: Songs, Tunes with Fiddle, Banjo and Band : Various Artists (Vester Jones) (1962)
Frank Proffitt Sings Folk Songs : Frank Proffitt (1962)
Fleming Brown : Fleming Brown (1962)
The Country Gentlemen on the Road : The Country Gentlemen (1963)
Traditional Music Of Beech Mountain, NC, Vol II : Captain Hicks & Viola (1965)
Banjo Music Of The Southern Appalachians : Kossoy Sisters (196?)
20 Bluegrass Favorites : Don Reno & Bill Harrell With The Tennessee Cutups (196?)
Blue Ridge Mountain Music : Hobart Smith (196?)
Outback : Pine River Boys With Maybelle (1974)
Country Bluegrass from Southwest Virginia : Glen Neaves and the Virginia Mountain Boys (1974)
Come & Go With Me : Tommy Jarrell (1974)
Music From South Turkey Creek : Various Artists (1976)
Directions : Norman Blake (1978)
Someday We'll Meet Again : Iron Mountain String Band (1981)
Old Time North Carolina Mountain Music : David and Billie Ray Johnson (1985)
Rainbow Sign : Tommy Jarrell (1986)
John Hardy : Frank Proffit (1986)
Grassroots To Bluegrass : Mac Wiseman (1990)
1959-1963 : Flatt & Scruggs (1992)
The Golden Age, Vol. 1 : Molly O'Day And The Cumberland Mountain Folk (1992)
Diamond Joe : Joe Val (1995)
Southern Journey, Vol. 2 Ballads & Breakdown : Various Artists (1997)
Instrumental Music & Songs Of The Southern Appalachians : Eric Darling (19??)
Blue Ridge Ballads : Texas Gladden & Hobart Smith (19??)
Ted Lundy & Fred Hanna & the Southern Mountain Boys (19??)

Performance History

Played by Jerry Garcia, Marshall Leicester and Robert Hunter at the Carlos Bookstall in San Carlos in July 1961.

Not performed by the Grateful Dead. Occurs only on pre-Dead tapes featuring future members of the dead.

Notes

Traditional song that usually occurs as Poor Ellen Smith and occasionally occurs as Ellen Smith or Poor Little Ellen. Garcia introduces it as Ellen Smith.

There may be a different song called Ellen Smith.

The lyrics of the version on the San Carlos tape are;

Poor little Ellen, sweet as a rose
How I love my Ellen, there ain't nobody knows
Ain't nobody knows
How I love my Ellen, there ain't nobody knows.

Poor little Ellen, how was she found
Shot in the heart, lying cold on the ground
Lying cold on the ground
Shot in the heart, lying cold on the ground.

(Not drinking and gambling,) just (loafing) around
A (bullet) from my pistol knocked sweet Ellen down
Knocked sweet Ellen down
A (bullet) from my pistol knocked sweet Ellen down.

On Monday I was arrested, on Tuesday I was tried
By the laws of my country I had to abide
I had to abide
By the laws of my country I had to abide.

I got a letter yesterday, I read it today
The flowers on her grave have withered away
Have withered away
The flowers on her grave have withered away.

The warden told me yesterday that soon I'll be free
To visit Ellen's grave 'neath that lonely willow tree
'Neath that lonely willow tree
To visit Ellen's grave 'neath that lonely willow tree

Poor little Ellen, how was she found
Shot in the heart, lying cold on the ground
Lying cold on the ground
Shot in the heart, lying cold on the ground.