Knoxville Girl

I met a little girl in Knoxville

A town we all know well

And every Sunday evening

Out in her home I'd dwell

We went to take an evening walk

A bout a mile from town

I picked a stick up off the ground

And knocked that fair girl down;

She fell down on her bended knees

For mercy she did cry

Oh, Willie dear, don't kill me here

I'm unprepared to die

She never spoke another word

I only beat her more

Until the ground around me

Within her blood did flow;

I took her by her golden curls

And I drug her 'round and 'round

Throwing her into the river

That flows through Knoxville town

Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl

With the dark and roving eyes

Go down, go down, you Knoxville girl

You can never be my bride;

I started back to Knoxville

Got there about midnight

My mother she was worried

And woke up in a fright

Saying, "Dear son, what have you done

To bloody your clothes so?"

I told my anxious mother

I was bleeding at my nose;

I called for me a candle

To light myself to bed

I called for me a handkerchief

To bind my aching head

Rolled and tumbled the whole night through

As troubles was for me

Like flames of hell around my bed

And in my eyes could see;

They carried me down to Knoxville

And put me in a cell

My friends all tried to get me out

But none could go my bail

I'm here to waste my life away

Down in this dirty old jail

Because I murdered that Knoxville girl

The girl I loved so well.