Bad News
Composer(s): John D. Loudermilk
First release by: John D. Loudermilk - 1963
Covered by multiple other artists



Well, bad news travels like wildfire
Good news travels slow
They all call me "wildfire" 
'Cause ev'rybody knows
I'm bad news, ev'rywhere I go
Always gettin' in trouble
And a-leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go

They tried to hang me in Oakland
And they did in Francisco
But I wouldn't choke, I broke the rope
And they had to let me go
'Cause I'm bad news, ev'rywhere I go
Always gettin' in trouble
And leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go

Now, from North to South, to East to West
The story is the same
From one state to another
I have to change my name 
'Cause I'm bad news, ev'rywhere I go
Always gettin' in trouble
And a-leavin' little girls 
That sure hate to see me go
Well, now I picked peaches in Georgia
I lumberjacked in Maine
I've been hired, and fired, and jailed
Any town you can name
'Cause I'm bad news, ev'rywhere I go
Always gettin' into trouble
And a-leavin' little girls
That hate to see me go