I used to be a preacher, I walked the higher ground fire was my sermon, and brimstone was abound my congregation feared me, as they feared the lord himself I was a man of power, and I was a man of wealth
but I had a weakness, I broke a deadly sin the 4th of seven big ones, and her name was Sally Lynn Ole' Sally had a husband, an influential man She loved him for his money, and Sally had a plan
(chorus)I heard the demon's beckon, I saw that evil grin I looked the devil in the eye, he whispered Sally Lynn He filled my heart with lust, and before I could object He sent me to the riverbank to find that cursed neck
I swear I was a christian, I swear I lived the word till Sally Lynn came calling, then faith became absurd Sally said she'd love me in ways I'd never know but first she needed help, her husband had to go
I didn't want to do it, I knew it wasn't right but Sally was convincing as she held me through the night I woke up in the morning, troubled from the start I went out searchin' for him, with murder in my heart
(chorus)
found him by the river, where I'd baptised him before I grabbed him by his cursed neck, then left him by the shore ran back home to Sally, to prove the deed was done But she was with another man, and this man had a gun
Ole' Sally called the sherrif, right after I had gone she'd played a dirty game, she'd used me as her pawn I didn't get a trial, or a moment to reflect they took me to the cypress tree and cursed my bloody neck