Swinging a nine pound hammer all day
Working for the state ’till my debt I’ll pay
Listen to my hammer ringing loud and long
This is how I come to write this sad old song
Well I had a little woman on the Georgia line
I wanted her love but she wouldn’t pay no mind
Told her one night, stole my heart away
Don’t leave me darlin’ or someday you’ll pay
When I found them that evening how my heart did grieve
My darlin and a stranger and they planned to leave
As the shots rang out and his blood ran cold
I cried have mercy on this poor boy’s soul