Knoxville Girl Lyrics

I met a little girl in Knoxville a town we all know well
And every Sunday evening in her home I'd dwell
We went to take an evening walk about a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground and i knocked that fair girl down

She fell down on her bended knees for mercy she did cry
"Oh willy dear don't kill me yet I'm unprepared to die"
She never spoke another word I only beat her more
Until the ground around me with her blood did flow

I took her by her golden curls and I dragged her around and around
Throwing her into the river that flows from Knoxville town
Go down go down you Knoxville girl with your 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 she woke up in a fright
Saying "dear son what have you done to bloody up your clothes?"
I told my anxious mother that I was bleeding in my nose

I called for me a candle and I called for me a bed
And i called for me a handkerchief to bind my aching head
I rolled and thrashed the whole night through all horrors I did see
The devil stood at the foot of my bed pointing his finger at me

They carried me down to Knoxville and put me in a cell
My friends all tried to get me out but none could grow 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