Poor Boy

Words & Music:

Traditional American

 

G         D7          G           G7      C               G

As I went down to the river, poor boy, to see the ships go by;

G                                               D7              G

My sweetheart stood or the deck of one, and she waved to me goodbye.

 

CHORUS:

G             D7       G         G7   C                  G

Bow down your head and cry, poor boy, bow down your head and cry;

G                                        D7                     G

Stop thinking about that woman you love, bow down your head and cry.

 

CHORUS:

 

I followed her for months and months, she offered me her hand,

We were about to be married, when she ran off with a gamblin' man.

 

CHORUS:

 

He came at me with a big jack-knife, I went for him with lead,

And when the fight was over, poor boy, he lay on the ground cold and dead.

 

CHORUS:

 

They took me to the big jailhouse, the months and months rolled by;

The jury found me guilty, poor boy, and the judge said, "You must die."

 

CHORUS:

 

"Oh do you bring me silver, poor boy, or do you bring me gold ?"

"I bring you neither," said the man, "I bring you a hangman's fold."

 

CHORUS:

 

"Oh, do you bring me pardon, poor boy, to turn me a-loose?"

"I bring you nothing," said the man, "Except a hangman's noose."

 

CHORUS:

 

And yet they call this justice, poor boy, then justice let it be!

I only killed a man who was a-fixing to kill me.

 

CHORUS: