Hangin' Tree

The men, women and children gathered round that hangin' tree

The word was out a young man soon would die

But no one seemed concerned enough to tell his family

Of just exactly where his bones would lie

Oh, yes, they had a trial,

But it didn't last too long

The judge began to smile, as they sang that hangin' song

They said:

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Cause what you done was in the first degree

We'll send a preacher to bless your soul,

Then we'll dig that six foot hole

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

From the black hills he'd come, into the town of Parmelee

He saw a man bleeding and dying on the ground

Jumped off his horse to help the man,

But as he reached his knees,

Heard the dying words, "Son, don't go near that town."

Then a dozen men appeared, and they saw what he had found

They blamed him for the killing, then they led him into town

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Cause what you done was in the first degree

We'll send a preacher to bless your soul

Then we'll dig that six foot hole

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Well, the marshal of this town was a crook named Willie B.

He had beady eyes and a badge upon his chest

He told the crowd outside the jail, as calmly as could be

"I caught him, so now you can do the rest."

Well they drug him to the courthouse,

And they held a makeshift trial,

The judge he dropped his hammer, and that crowd began to smile

They said:

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Cause what you done was in the first degree

We'll send a preacher to bless your soul,

Then we'll dig that six foot hole

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

The young man bowed in silence, as he said a word of prayer

Forgive them lord, they know not what they've done

Then he grabbed the guard beside him, and he headed for the door

Sayin, "Leave me be, or he'll die from his own gun."

On a horse he headed out of town,

With a posse close behind,

And they were riding hard and fast, with one thing on their mind

Suddenly, the preacher appeared upon the road

He said, "Turn around, and let the boy go free,

For I done saw the killin', and me story shall be told

That the murderer was you marshal, Willie B."

Well that posse looked in disbelief, ashamed for what they'd done

That man had run this town too long,

But now his day had come

We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree

Cause what he done was in the first degree

We'll send a preacher to bless his soul,

Then we'll dig that six foot hole

We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Cause what you done was in the first degree

We'll send a preacher to bless your soul,

Then we'll dig that six foot hole

We're gonna hang you, from that hangin' tree

Yes we're gonna hang that ol' marshal Willie B.

We're gonna hang him, from that hangin' tree