[C]Early one morning With [F]time to kill I [Am]borrowed Jeb's rifle And [F]sat on the hill I [C]saw a lone rider [F]Crossing the plain I [Am]drew a bead on him To [F]practice my aim [Dm]My brother's rifle Went [G]off in my hand A shot rang out [C]Across the land The [F]horse he kept running The [Am]rider was dead I [C]hung my head I [F]hung my head [C] [C]I set off running To [F]wake from the dream [Am]My brother's rifle Went [F]into the stream [C]I kept on running [F]Into the salt lands And [Am]that's where they found me My [F]head in my hands The [Dm]sheriff he asked me [G]Why had I run Then it came to me Just [C]what I had done And [F]all for no reason Just [Am]one piece of lead I [C]hung my head I [F]hung my head [C] [C]Here in the courthouse The [F]whole town is there [Am]I see the judge High [F]up in his chair "Ex[C]plain to the courtroom What [F]went through your mind And [Am]we'll ask the jury What [F]verdict they find" I said [Dm]"I felt the power Of [G]death over life I orphaned his children I [C]widowed his wife I [F]beg their forgiveness I [Am]wish I was dead" I [C]hung my head, I [F]hung my head [C] [C]Early one morning With [F]time to kill [Am]I see the gallows [F]Up on the hill And [C]out in the distance A [F]trick of the brain I [Am]see a lone rider [F]Crossing the plain [Dm]He's come to fetch me To [G]see what they done We'll ride together [C]'Til kingdom come I [F]pray for God's mercy For [F]soon I'll be dead I [C]hung my head, I [F]hung my head I [C]hung my head, I [F]hung my head I [C]hung my head, I [F]hung my head