Woody Guthrie an incredibly prolific songwriter

 Woody Guthrie was an incredibly prolific songwriter, composing thousands of songs in his lifetime. Many of these, like "The Sinking Of The Reuben James," were based on events that Guthrie read about in news articles. It's likely that Guthrie came across the story of an outlaw named Pretty Boy Floyd, which provided material for this song. Anna Canoni, who is Guthrie's granddaughter, explains: "'Pretty Boy Floyd' is one of Woody's more popular ballads. The outlaw who helped the poor, a Robin Hood story. What Woody would do, he would take newspapers read through the articles and write songs about stories that touched him. 

 "Pretty Boy Floyd"

If you'll gather 'round me, children
A story I will tell
'Bout Pretty Boy Floyd, an outlaw
Oklahoma knew him well

It was in the town of Shawnee
A Saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in his wagon
As into town they rode

There a deputy sheriff approached him
In a manner rather rude
Vulgar words of anger
An' his wife she overheard

Pretty Boy grabbed a log chain
And the deputy grabbed his gun
In the fight that followed
He laid that deputy down

Then he took to the trees and timber
To live a life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma
Was added to his name

But a many a starving farmer
The same old story told
How the outlaw paid their mortgage
And saved their little homes

Others tell you 'bout a stranger
That come to beg a meal
Underneath his napkin
Left a thousand dollar bill

It was in Oklahoma City
It was on a Christmas Day
There was a whole car load of groceries
Come with a note to say

Well, you say that I'm an outlaw
You say that I'm a thief
Here's a Christmas dinner
For the families on relief

Yes, as through this world I've wandered
I've seen lots of funny men
Some will rob you with a six-gun
And some with a fountain pen

And as through your life you travel
Yes, as through your life you roam
You won't never see an outlaw
Drive a family from their home