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These songs are usually about a famous folk hero -- some are more legendary and some are more factual than others. Classic examples include John Henry and Jesse James. John Henry was, of course, the man who beat that steel driving machine but died as a result. Jesse James was the outlaw with a heart of [gold|silver|tin], often touted for his faith or lambasted for his theft of gold from old people. Few people know that Jesse was a secessionist who targeted Northerners that either served in or who he thought profited as a result of the war. On the balance, most songs treat James as a hero. Personally, I want to write a song about Jesse James and John Henry meeting in heaven and fighting each other up and down the hills of Zion for a thousand years before settling their grudges. Seriously, don't steal that idea. Update: Steal that idea all you want -- folk songs are all about stealing from each other.
