hung my head

sweet adeline

Early one morning
With time to kill
I borrowed Jebb's rifle
And sat on a hill
I saw a lone rider
Crossing the plain
I drew a bead on him
To practice my aim

My brother's rifle
Went off in my hand
A shot rang out
Across the land
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 rifle
Went into the sheen
I kept on running
Into the south lands
That's where they found me
My head and my hands

The sheriff he asked me
Why had I run
And then it came to me
Just what I had done
And all for no reason
Just one piece of lead
I hung my head
I hung my head

Here in the court house
The whole town was there
I see the judge
High up in the chair
Explain to the court room
What went through you mind
And we'll ask the jury
What verdict they find

I felt the power
Of death over life
I orphaned his children
I widowed his wife
I begged their forgiveness
I wish I was dead
I hung my head
I hung my head

I hung my head
I hung my head

Early one morning
With time to kill
I see the gallows
Up on a hill
And out in the distance
A trick of the brain
I see a lone rider
Crossing the plain

And he'd come to fetch me
To see what they'd done
And we'd ride together
To kingdom come
I prayed for god's mercy
For soon I'd be dead
I hung my head
I hung my head

I hung my head
I hung my head

barcoach

This is a great song... a complete tale told in a matter of minutes... I used to like Sting's version, but it was only until I heard Johny Cash's cover that I came to realize how dramatic is this song, I was obsessed with it for months after I got The Man Comes Around, establishing links of it with Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor and other Big South writters. One time it just made me cry. Someday I would love trying a version of my own.

sweet adeline

yeah i was just listening to the cash version, it is so good.

after watching walk the line, i've got a whole new appreciation for the man in black.