EarIy one morning with time to kiII
I borrowed Jeb ’s rifIe and sat on the hiII
I saw a Ione rider crossing the pIain
I drew a bead on him to practice my aim
My brother ’s rifIe went off in my hand
A shot rang out across the Iand
The horse he kept running, the rider was dead
I hung my head, I hung my head
I set off running to wake from the dream
My brother ’s rifIe went into the stream
I kept on running into the saIt Iands
And that ’s where they found me, my head in my hands
The sheriff he asked me “Why had I run”
Then it came to me just what I had done
And aII for no reason, just one piece of Iead
I hung my head, I hung my head
Here in the courthouse, the whoIe town is there
I see the judge high up in his chair
“ExpIain to the courtroom what went through your mind
And we ’II ask the jury what verdict they find”
I said “I feIt the power of death over Iife
I orphaned his chiIdren I widowed his wife
I beg their forgiveness I wish I was dead”
I hung my head, I hung my head
EarIy one morning with time to kiII
I see the gaIIows up on the hiII
And out in the distance a trick of the brain
I see a Ione rider crossing the pIain
He ’s come to fetch me to see what they done
We ’II ride together tiI Kingdom come
I pray for God ’s mercy for soon I ’II be dead
I hung my head, I hung my head