Angel of Purgatory was written about a young girl in the sliver mining days of Colorado.
Story behind the song
Spending time in Purgatory, Co. was inspiration for this song.
Lyrics
The Angel of Purgatory
Minyard 2004
In the heart of the San Juan mountains
Where the Lost Souls River flows
Stands the town of Purgatory
Where the blue columbine freely grows
There amongst the weathered headstones
In a field outside of town
Lie the graves of Jenny Johnson
And the man who put her down
Out where the ghosts of the Anasazi
Wander restless thru the night
They say you still can see sweet Jenny
Walkin' in the pale moonlight
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Chorus
She was the angel
Of Purgatory
The silver miners
All knew her well
They all knew
She was bound for heaven
Cause she’d spent
Her time in hell
________________________________________________________
You know her Pa came to Purgatory
To mine for silver, like all the rest
He lost his life that first long winter
Leavin’ Jenny to do her best
She found a job at the Silver Nugget
A Soiled Dove, one of dozens more
She cried at night for her poor daddy
And for her self, just another whore
But Jenny’s soul was light as sunshine
A rose amongst the many thorns
Every miner loved Jenny Johnson
Her smile was shelter from the winter storms
Chorus
With the spring came Billy Cranfield
A tall young man with a deep blue eyes
Jenny loved him from that first moment
She could not see thru his dark lies
Billy told her that he loved her
His words were smooth and they were sweet
But Billie’s heart held a darker secret
Of things he’d learned at his Mother’s feet
In Jenny’s face Bill saw a reflection
Of another Mistress of the Night
He thought about the things he’d witnessed
Now was his chance to set things right.
Chorus
He took her off to his run down cabin
Out where the mountains reach to the sky
It was there he killed sweet Jenny
He cut her throat and watched her die
The posse found him in Purgatory
There they hung him out on the hill
They buried him right next to Jenny
And there they lie together still
Poor Jenny's soul could not be peaceful
Lyin' so close to Billie's bones
So now she wanders through Purgatory
Tryin' to find her way back home
Chorus
Final Refrain
Out where the ghosts of the Anaszi
Wander restless thru the night
They say the Angel of Purgatory
Can still be seen in the pale moonlight