Eli Renfro killed his wife With a long sharp bowie knife Hacked her up and put her in the ground Death by hanging was to be his fate And old Eli filled with hate Put a curse on the entire town Chorus: Can't you hear, can't you hear When the moon is bright and clear From time to time It's old Eli dragging chains And moaning peoples names And I hope and I pray that he never thinks of mine I was walking the high road late last night The stars were out and the moon was bright The wind was blowing you could hear for half a mile Then an awful sound came through the trees It chilled my blood and it shook my knees The kinda thing that makes a man run wild [ Chorus ] Well if you get home before I do Don't look back cause I'm coming through I'm packing my things and I'm headed far away They say you can't run away from a curse Maybe this time I'll be the first Ain't nobody here gonna make me stay [ Chorus - "and I hope and I pray" x6 ]