Story Behind The Song

Roger Daltrey, the lead singer for The Who, liked "Avenging Annie" so much that he recorded it on four of his solo albums, including his 1977 album "One Of The Boys" and again in 1981 on the "Best of Roger Daltrey." The song can also be heard on Todd Hay

Song Description

It's about Annie Oakley and Pretty Boy Floyd the Outlaw which came about while Andy was listening to Woody Guthrie's "Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd."

Lyrics

Avenging Annie

Written by Andy Pratt 1973

we ran through the hills and forests
as two under a spell
he was a city boy Floyd the outlaw
but I thought I knew him well

long after that great summer
when I first came into my fame
and "the avenger from Oklahoma" was added to my name
the avenger I became

well they call me Avenging Annie
I'm the Avenger of womanhood
I spend my whole life telling lies
lead you on and mess you over good
I take all you spoiled young hippies
running around playing games
mess around in your bed
I blow your head
I put you through a change
what you done to others
I do unto you

But then I met my sensitive outlaw
he was the best thing I had ever seen
I want to be his wife, want to give him my life
I was so blind I could never have seen
so I joined up with my outlaw
and headed for California

He treat me worse than I ever imagined
he even say he don't want me around
kept it up so long I couldn't be strong,
he run me right into the ground for five long years,
he picked me up and then he slapped me down

well I told my friends about him
they all were on my side
when I could see through the haze
he looked so crazy I put my head right down and I cried
cried like a mother for my poor lover

well I felt so sad about him
but I knew I couldn't do him no good
he was so far gone well standing on the lawn
when I left him I knew I should
I knew I couldn't do him no good

and now I live out on a mountaintop
and I'm more than fifty-five
and I found my peace and
I found my release and I'm happy to be alive
and I might go back to my Floyd
if I think it's the thing to do
he gave up murder and theft long after I left,
and you know I still love him too
just like your woman loves you
just like your woman loves you
just like your woman loves you