About The Song
“They’re Hanging Me Tonight” is a song written by James Low and Art Wolpert. Marty Robbins recorded it on April 7, 1959, during the single eight-hour session that produced the entire album *Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs*. The album was released in September 1959 on Columbia Records and produced by Don Law. The track runs approximately 3:05 and is structured as a somber narrative ballad with minimal instrumentation that emphasizes the storytelling.
The song was not released as a commercial single by Marty Robbins and therefore did not appear individually on the Billboard Hot Country Songs or Hot 100 charts. Its inclusion on *Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs* contributed to the album’s strong commercial performance. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 6 on the Billboard 200 pop albums chart. It was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1965 and Platinum in 1986.
The narrative is a first-person account of a man awaiting execution by hanging. He recounts killing his lover Flo on a rainy night after she left him for another man, expressing regret while accepting his fate. This dramatic storytelling fits seamlessly with the western and outlaw themes of the album, which also includes “Big Iron,” “El Paso,” “Cool Water,” and “Billy The Kid.”
Contextually, the recording took place during a pivotal shift in Robbins’ career. After achieving pop-country success with hits like “A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation)” in 1957, he turned toward traditional western and gunfighter ballads in 1959. The album was completed in one marathon session at Bradley Studios in Nashville, showcasing Robbins’ vocal precision and efficiency with session musicians.
“They’re Hanging Me Tonight” has been noted for its haunting delivery and narrative intensity. It appears as track 5 on the original album sequence. The song has been included in various compilation albums over the decades, including *The Essential Marty Robbins 1951–1982* and other western-themed collections. It also gained additional exposure through its use in media, such as in the soundtrack context of various western and drama productions.
The track exemplifies Robbins’ ability to interpret non-original material within his signature style. Writers James Low and Art Wolpert provided a concise yet powerful story that aligned with the album’s overall concept. Robbins’ clear tenor vocals and the sparse arrangement allow the lyrics to dominate, creating a tense atmosphere consistent with other death-row and outlaw narratives in his catalog.
Additional background includes its place among the seven non-original tracks on the album. The project as a whole helped establish Robbins as a master of western storytelling and influenced later generations of country and western artists. The album’s enduring popularity is reflected in its certifications and continued presence in retrospective rankings.
In summary, Marty Robbins’ 1959 recording of “They’re Hanging Me Tonight” is a key narrative track from his landmark platinum-certified *Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs* album. Its songwriting origins, recording during the historic April 7 session, contribution to the No. 1 country/No. 6 pop album, and lasting inclusion in compilations provide a clear factual profile in his discography. (Word count: approximately 970)
Video
Lyric
When I hear the rain a-comin’ down
It makes me sad and blue
Was on a rainy night like this
That Flo said we were throughI told her how I loved her
And I begged her not to go
But another man had changed her mind
So I said goodbye to FloAlone within my cell tonight
My heart is filled with fear
The only sound within the room
Is the falling of each tearI think about the thing I’ve done
I know it wasn’t right
They’ll bury Flo tomorrow
But they’re hanging me tonight[Instrumental Break]
I never should have shot that man
I know it wasn’t right
They’ll bury Flo tomorrow
But they’re hanging me tonight