Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
I took a shot of cocaine and shot my woman down
I went right home and I went to bed
I stuck that lovin' forty-four beneath my head.

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun
Took a shot of cocaine and away I run
Made a good run but I run too slow
They overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico.

Laid in the hot joint takin' the pill
In walked a sheriff from Jericho Hill
He said Willy Lee your name is not Jack Brown
You're the dirty hack that shot your woman down.

Say yes oh yes my name is Willie Lee
If you've got a warrant just read it to me
Shot her down because she made me slow
I thought I was her daddy but she had five more.

When I was arrested I was dressed in black
They put me on a train and they took me back
Had no friends for to go my bail
They slapped my dried up carcass in the county jail.

Early next morning about a half past nine
I spied a sheriff comin' down the line
Coughed and coughed as he cleared his throat
He said come on you dirty hack into that district court

Into the court room my trial began
Where I was handled by twelve honest men
Just before the jury started out
I saw that little judge commence to look about.

In about five minutes in walked a man
Holding the verdict in his right hand
The verdict read in the first degree
I hollered Lordy Lordy have mercy on me

The judge he smiled as he picked up his pen
Ninety nine years in the Folsom pen
Ninety nine years underneath that ground
I can't forget today I shot that bad bitch down
Come on you gotta listen unto me
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be

These man have receptions. Matlock, eight five oh six three two
And Batshelter, eight three nine eight seven nine
They have receptions
I doubt that.

Copyright: BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): T.J. Arnall, William A Nichols