Davy Crockett

I bought a book this weekend - "Born on a Mountaintop in Tennessee". Its about a guy that traced Davy Crockett's travels and his attempt to separate fact from myth. Its interesting. It turns out the Ballad of Davy Crockett (The greatest song in the history of music) is incorrect in certain points.

Although I pretty much already have the song memorized (seriously), I looked it up just to make sure. I print it for you here with editorial comments clearing up some of the possible historical inaccuracies.

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, (I've been to his birthplace. Flat as a pancake.)
Greenest state in the land of the free. ("Greenest"? Debatable. "Land of the Free"?  With the possible exception of the tens of thousands of slaves.)
Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree, (Quite doubtful.)
Killed him a bear when he was only three. (The bear might have been three. Davy was probably 27 and had a gun. No big feat.)
Davy, Davy Crockett King of the Wild Frontier.
Fought single handed through the Injun war, (He was a scout for Jackson's army. Not quite "singlehanded".)
Till the Creeks was whipped and peace was restored.
And while he was handling this risky chore,
Made himself a legend, forevermore.
Davy, Davy Crockett the man who don't know fear. (Doesn't)
He went off to Congress and served a spell
Fixin' up the government and laws as well. (Really? Half the nation was getting ready to secede, there was the Panic of 1837, and the Trail of Tears,  but why quibble.)
Took over Washington, I heard tell, (You heard wrong.)
And patched up the crack in the Liberty Bell. (Nope)

So a couple of facts are wrong, but that's OK. I still love Davy and I still love that song.