The Long and Lonesome Murder Ballad of 99 Vanlandingham (demo)

by Blaine and Leah Howard

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about

About

It's a true name - a nickname of a local Fairchild man, years since passed away. The rest came from my head, conjuring up terrible fictional circumstances for the guy while driving around the Wisconsin countryside.

lyrics

Lyrics

Some said it was the alcohol that he could put away
Others talked about a lifetime working on the railway
Still others claimed the name was just too long to fit a line
Somehow everyone agreed to call him 99

Oh 99 Vanlandingham
You're famous now, a wanted man
First name Aloysius, the second Belvedere
On all the posters starting to appear

He met her at the station down in Black River Falls
She was changing trains between Milwaukee and St. Paul
He took her hand, she took his name, he took her home that night
It might have been the final time that anything went right

For 99 Vanlandingham
You've done it now, you killed both of them
Blood on the driveway, blood on your hands
They're coming after you Vanlandingham

You should’ve never loved her, should’ve put away your knife
Wished you hadn’t found out about the mailman and your wife
One in the heat of passion, the other in cold blood
Now they’re gonna lock you up for good

He knew about a timber train running up the northern line
So he hopped a car in Hatfield and hoped that he’d be fine
But when he heard the dogs among the logs in Fon Du Lac
He quit the ties and hit the trees to throw them off the track

Oh 99 your gambit failed
You’re on the lam, they’re still on your trail
There’s too much room to run in between every frozen pine
They’re closing in for sure now 99

Should’ve never loved her…

He went to ground in a graveyard at the edge of Sturgeon Bay
And if he hadn’t missed the boat well he might’ve got away
But they spotted him and brought him in from those godforsaken stones
And as the cuffs went on he said, “Don’t let me die alone”

Oh 99 your last wish came true
The jury said no death row for you
You’re stuck in with a cellmate at the penitentiary
But parole’s a near impossibility - after your double murder guilty plea

You should’ve never loved her, should’ve put down your knife
Now 99 Vanlandingham’s doing 99 to life

credits

released August 7, 2016
Blaine Howard - writer, singer, guitarer
Jim Carlson - recording, engineering, general friendliness and generosity

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about

Blaine and Leah Howard Fairchild, Wisconsin

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