Here is my cover of the traditional folk song, “Delia” which originated in my home state of Georgia.
Late on Christmas Day, December 25th, 1900 a fourteen year old girl named Delia Green was murdered in Savannah, Georgia by a fifteen year old boy named Moses Houston. Houston shot Delia after an argument. The newspapers reported that the two had been romantically involved for several months but Delia had recently ended the relationship with Houston and was seeing another man.
Moses Houston stood trial for Delia’s murder in the spring of 1901, was convicted by the jury and sentenced to life imprisonment by the presiding judge. Moses served twelve years and then was pardoned by the Georgia Governor, John M. Slaton in 1913. Delia Green is buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery South in Savannah in an unmarked grave. Houston disappeared into the pages of history.
Versions of this story song have been recorded by many artists over the years including Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. I first heard it on David Bromberg’s first record and later the seminal recording of “Delia” by Blind Willie McTell. The Reverend Gary Davis also has an interesting version. My cover is the key of D like Bromberg’s. McTell played it in the key of F.
Like many folk songs, there are varying lyrics to the song. I chose the stanzas I liked and arranged them to tell the story in a logical order.