Story Behind The Song

A horrendous crime that left an impression on me.

Song Description

A song based on a true story of a triple homicide outside of Deadwood, SD in the late 70s. There were rumors that the suspect's death did not occur as police had said.

Lyrics

Danny Jones
In the Black Hills in the summer of '78
He was sittin' in the Number Ten
Knockin' back bourbon, cheap and straight
A Bud chaser every now and again
He was about to leave
Had to get up early
For the very first shift at the mine
When in walked three girls
Three under-aged girls
Danny thought it must be a sign

The booze made it easy to make up a name
And open with a clever line
He bought `em a drink, just part of the game
To get their trust, get `em feeling fine
An hour later they said they had to go
They'd told their parents a lie
The girl named Lisa
Told the girl named Joni
"Too bad he's such a nice guy".

(Chorus)
Danny Jones had the ugliness
That ran wide and deep
Danny Jones fed his ugliness
Like a wolf among the sheep
Like a wolf among the sheep

He knew he had to make his move, so
he offered the girls a ride
As they climbed in his truck
The girls didn't notice -
no handle for the door inside
They drove up highway 385
On the radio was Jackson Browne
He drove past the turn the girls said to take
And they got further out of town.

What happened next was just too sad
The girls were found the next week in the woods
The Deadwood sheriff and his deputies were tipped
That Jones'd been up to no good
An A.P.B. from the Big Sky state
Proved Danny was a wanted man
As the law drove out to Danny's log cabin
He was sleeping as the innocent can

Danny awoke to bright lights in the windows
And a battering ram at the door
The sheriff burst in and drew down on Danny
Ordered him to get down on the floor
At the inquest the sheriff was calm and cool
Was convincing, he swore to attest
That Danny Jones got his head blown off
When he attempted to resist his arrest.