River Bottom

Take me down to that River Bottom boys
Let me loaf around and take my time
Let me look at that place where last I saw her face
Let me sit down and think about my crime
Lord what I done to that pretty gal of mine

Well the sheriff he's comin' I don't care
His blood hounds are sucking up the air
They're comin' after awhile make me walk that last mile
But I ain't gonna cry I'm gonna smile
Cause it made me feel so good to see her dyin'

Take me down to that River Bottom boys
Let me walk along that shady river lane
Let me stand once again where she took a hundred men
Where I first felt the squeeze of the chain
Lord where she used to laugh at me when I's in pain

Oh that holy angel in her grin and that big ugly devil neath her skin
She was shy and she was bold sweet and warm I been told
Now her hot body's floatin' in the cold
And her ghost slips among the sugar cane

Last night I dreamed I was there
Looking down at her face pale and fair
With the red eyes and the sun fish
Swimmin' and weavin' all through her long streaming hair

Oh but take me down to the River Bottom boys
Let me loaf around and take me ease
Let me sit on that stump where she took that long jump
With my clothes line tied around her knees Lord
Her cheatin' hands clutching at the breeze

Where she went straight down to her death
With that cussin' and whiskey on her breath
Where them lies of before couldn't help her no more
And I laughed just to see her sinking lower
Just to know I put an end to that disease
Just to know I'd saved men kind from that disease