Went out last night, take a little round Met little sadie and I blowed her down Then I run right home and went to bed With a forty-four smokeless under my head
The girls all heard little sadie was dead They went home to be ragged in red Come a slippin’ and a slidin’ down the street In their loose mother hubbards and their stocking feet
Well I began to think what a deed I’d done Grabbed my hat and I started to run I made a good run just a little too slow And they overtook me in jericho
Standing on the corner reading a bill Up stepped the sheriff of thomasville Said young man is your name lee brown? Remember the night you blowed sadie down?
Yes I said my name is lee I murdered little sadie in a first degree First degree and a second degree If ya got any papers, read ’em to me
Took me downtown, dressed me in black Put me on a train and send me back Didn’t have no one to go on my bail Throw me back in the county jail
Judge and the jury took their stand Judge had the papers in his hand Forty-one days and forty-one nights Forty-one years just to wear them stripes