Bad Man's Blunder - The Kingston Trio

Well, early one evening I was roamin' around;

I was feelin' kind of mean, I shot a deputy down

I strolled along home, and I went to bed

Well, I laid my pistol up under my head

He strolled along home (I took my time)

And he went to bed (Thought I’d sleep some)

Laid his pistol (Big twenty-two)

Up under his head;

(I keep it handy)

Well, early next morning 'bout the break of day

I figured it was time to make my getaway

I was steppin' right along but I was steppin' too slow

Got surrounded by the sheriff down in Mexico

He was steppin' right along (Were a hot-footin' it) but he was steppin' too

slow (It was a sultry day)

Got surrounded by a sheriff (Boxed in)

Down in Mexico (I didn’t even have a chance to see the country)

When I was arrested;

why, I didn’t have a dime

The sheriff said, «Son, you’re ridin' free this time

Where you’re goin' you won’t need a cent

'Cause the great state of Texas gonna pay your rent

'Cause where you’re goin' (I think he means jail)

You won’t need a cent (When he knows I’m broke)

'Cause the great state of Texas (Yippee!)

Gonna pay your rent.

(I'm mighty grateful, fellas)

Well, I didn’t have a key and I didn’t have a file

So natur’lly I stayed around until my trial

The judge was an old man;

ninety-three

And I didn’t like the way the jury looked at me

The judge was an old man (Too old)

Ninety-three (Entirely too old)

I didn’t like the way…

The jury looked at me.

(I think they were suspicious.)

The judge and the jury, they did agree

They all said murder in the first degree

The judge said, «Sam, I don’t know whether to hang you or not.

But this here

killin' of deputy sheriffs has just naturally got to stop!

«(«You've got a point there, judge! «)

It was a most unsatisfactory trial

They gave me ninety-nine years on the hard rock pile

Ninety and nine on the hard rock ground

And all I ever did was shoot a deputy down

Ninety and nine (It could have been life.)

On the hard rock pile (They might-a hung me)

And all he ever did…

Was shoot a deputy down

(This whole thing has sure been a lesson to me.) (Bang! You’re dead!)