Taneytown

I went down to Taneytown

I went down to Taneytown

To see what I could see

My mama told me never go

But I'm almost 22 years old

Sometimes I fear this holler swollow me

She ran off to Gettysburg

Went off with that new beau of hers

I snuck off after dark

Long way down the county road

Stars were bright

The moon was low

Down to where the black top highway starts

Chorus:

I went down to Taneytown

I went down to Taneytown

I went down to see what I could see

I could see everybody stared at me

You'd think that they ain't never seen

A colored boy before

They chunked at me at me

Called me names

They'd have whipped me sure but the sheriff came

I slipped off through the dry goods store

I ran down Division Street

Some of them boys followed me

Down to the railroad track

Four of them and I cain't fight

But I had my old Randall knife

I cut that boy and I never did look back

Chorus

Cross the fields and woods I run

Like a bullet from a rabbit gun

Back home to my bed

Ma came in from Gettysburg

Her and that new beau of hers

"Boy you look like hell" was all she said

Month went by without a word

Somebody down the holler heard

About that boy they hung

He begged those men to spare his life

But I dropped my bloody Randall knife

He picked it up so they thought he was the one

I went down to Taneytown

I went down to Taneytown

I ain't goin' back there anymore