Crooked Still, Doc Watson, and Bob Dylan each brought their own voice to the world of folk and Americana music.
Though they come from different eras and backgrounds, all three artists are known for their storytelling and emotional depth.
Crooked Still adds a modern, string-driven twist to traditional songs. Doc Watson’s warm guitar style and voice made old ballads feel timeless.
Bob Dylan reshaped folk with poetic lyrics and social messages. Together, they show how folk music can evolve while still honoring its roots.
About the Song
Little Sadie is a traditional folk ballad that tells the grim story of a man who murders a woman named Sadie and faces the consequences.
The lyrics are direct yet poetic, often narrated in a first-person voice that adds raw emotion and immediacy. Themes of guilt, justice, and reckoning run throughout the verses. Sadie becomes a symbol, perhaps of temptation, regret, or irreversible actions.
Little Sadie by Crooked Still
Chorus
Went out one night to make a little round
I met Little Sadie and I shot her down
Went back home, jumped into bed
.44 pistol under my head
Verse 1
I woke up in the morning about half past nine
The hacks and the buggies standing in line
Gents and gamblers standing around
Taking Little Sadie to her burying ground
I began to think of what a deed I’d done
I grabbed my hat and away I’d run
Made a good run, just a little too slow
They overtook me in Jericho
Verse 2
Standing on the corner a-reading a bill
And up stepped the sheriff from Thomasville
He said “Miss, is your name Brown?
Remember the night you shot Sadie down?”
I said, “Oh, yes, sir, but my name is Lee
And I murdered Little Sadie in the first degree
First degree and second degree
Got any papers, will you read ’em to me?”
Verse 3
So they took me downtown and dressed me in black
Put me on a train and started me back
All the way back to the Thomasville jail
Had no money for to go my bail
Instrumental Break
Verse 4
The judge and the jury, they took their stand
The judge had the papers in his right hand
Forty-one days, forty-one nights
Forty-one years to wear the ball and stripes
Chorus
Went out one night to make a little round
I met Little Sadie and I shot her down
Went back home, jumped into bed
.44 pistol under my head
Instrumental Outro
Little Sadie by Doc Watson
Went out last night to take a little round
I met my Little Sadie and I blowed her down
I run right home and I went to bed
A forty-four smokeless under my head
I begin to think what a deed I done
I grabbed my hat and away’d I’d run
I made a good run, just a little to slow
They overtook me in Jericho
Standing on the corner a-ringing a bell
And up stepped the sheriff from Thomasville
Says, ‘Young man, is your name Brown?
Remember the night you blowed Sadie down.’
‘Oh, yes, Sir, my name is Lee
I murdered little Sadie in the first degree
First degree and second degree
Got any papers, will you read ’em to me?’
Took me downtown and dressed me in black
They put me on a train and they sent me back
Had no one for to go my bail
Crammed me back in the county jail
Judge and the jury took their stand
Judge had his papers in his right hand
Forty-one days, forty-one nights
Forty-one years to wear the ball and the stripes
Little Sadie by Bob Dylan
Went out last night to take a little round.
I met my little Sadie and I brought her down.
I ran right home and I went to bed
With a forty-four smokeless under my head.
I began to think what a deed I’d done.
I grabbed my hat and I began to run.
I made a god run but I ran too slow;
They overtook me down in Jericho
Standing on a corner a ringin’ my bell,
Up stepped the sheriff from Thomasville.
He said ‘Young man is you name Brown?
Remember you blowed Sadie down.”
“Oh yes sir, my name is Lee.
I murdered little Sadie in the first degree.
First degree and second degree.
If you’ve got any papers will you serve them to me?”
Well they took me down town and they dressed me in black,
They put me on a train and they sent me back.
I had no one to go my bail;
They crammed me back into the county jail.
Oh, yes they did.
The judge and the jury they took their stand.
The judge had the papers in his right hand.
Forty-one days, forty-one nights;
Forty-one years to wear the ball and the stripes;
Oh, no!
Went out last night to take a little round.
I met little Sadie and I blowed her down.
I ran right home and I went to bed,
A forty-four smokeless under my head.
Similar Songs Like Little Sadie
Here are some gripping ballads that share the dark, narrative-driven style and themes of Little Sadie, blending crime, remorse, and folk tradition:
- Omie Wise: A traditional murder ballad based on a real crime, Omie Wise has been movingly covered by Doc Watson, whose gentle guitar and voice bring sorrowful emotion to this tale of betrayal.
- Wind and Rain: With haunting vocals and rich instrumentation, Crooked Still revives this haunting sister-murder ballad, giving it both a ghostly beauty and chilling presence.
- The House Carpenter: Tragic story of temptation and loss conveys a sense of doom, turning an old folk tale into a mournful warning wrapped in longing.
Similar Artists Like Crooked Still, Doc Watson, and Bob Dylan
If you enjoy the rich acoustic sound and heartfelt storytelling of Crooked Still, Doc Watson, and Bob Dylan, here are some similar artists you might love:
- Gillian Welch
Genres: Americana, Folk, Bluegrass
Top Albums: Time (The Revelator) (2001), Revival (1996) - Norman Blake
Genres: Folk, Bluegrass, Country
Top Albums: Home in Sulphur Springs (1972), Old Ties (2002) - Townes Van Zandt
Genres: Folk, Country, Singer-Songwriter
Top Albums: Our Mother the Mountain (1969), Townes Van Zandt (1969) - Peter, Paul and Mary
Genres: Folk, Pop
Top Albums: Moving (1963), In the Wind (1963) - The Carter Family
Genres: Country, Folk, Gospel
Top Albums: Anchored in Love: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1927–1928), Can the Circle Be Unbroken (1935)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Originally Wrote Little Sadie?
It is a traditional folk ballad with unknown authorship, passed down orally through American Appalachian communities.
What Key is Little Sadie Usually Played In?
Commonly performed in G or A major by folk and bluegrass guitar and banjo players.
Was Little Sadie a Real Person?
Probably not; she’s a fictional figure symbolizing moral lessons in American folk storytelling traditions.
Why do Some Versions have Happy Endings?
Regional versions often changed outcomes to reflect local beliefs or lighten grim storylines for listeners.
