Let me tell you a story, not gonna take too long Just sit on down and listen under the sun Papa, he was a drinking man, Mama wasn't very strong He liked whisky and women, drank all night long, all night long That night he had a nasty feeling, if he stayed in town too long The life that he'd been leading takes him down to the bone The moon was full around midnight, the sheriff took my Papa down, down, down His luck had finally run out and laid him to the ground, yes it did It's me they blamed for the killing They knew I owned the smoking gun No alibi can satisfy, I fear it's hanging time, no It's time to start 'a running and cross the county line I hear the 9:15 'a rolling down track number nine, rolling on Hear my train a coming The hounds of doom come a howling The bayou's trying to slow me down, down, down Better keep on moving, stay low to the ground I'm gonna start all over with no misery and no pain, no But if they track me down, I'll be down to the bone But if they take my life, I'll be down to the bone Down to the bone, midnight hour If they take my life, I'll be down to the bone