Written by David Olney lyrics My family owns this town, they built the mill We live in the mansion on the hill We had slaves before the war We don’t need slaves anymore Money talks, money always will My family owns this town, they built the mill
I was very happy with my life Until that ugly business with my wife She’d been keeping to her room With her sadness and her gloom We never touched, she locked her door at night She dared deny me of my legal right
Then one day I began to hear Talk my wife was having an affair It seems Delia found her joy With some common local boy As for myself, I did not really care But the family shame was more than I could bear The boy ran off before I could make him pay I dealt with poor Delia in my own way I drown her in the river I just could not forgive her Her suicide was all the news next day But the boy ran off before I could make him pay
My family owns this town, they built the mill We live in the mansion on the hill We had slaves before the war We don’t need slaves anymore Money talks, money always will My family owns this town, they built the mill.