Went out last night to take a little round
I met my little Sadie and I brought her down
I ran right home and I went to bed
With a forty-four smokeless under my head

I began to think what a deed I'd done
I grabbed my hat and I began to run
I made a God run but I ran too slow
They overtook me down in Jericho

Standing on a corner ringin' my bell
Up stepped the sheriff from Thomasville
He said: Young man is you name Brown?
Remember the night you blowed Little Sadie down

Oh, yes sir, my name is Lee
I murdered little Sadie in the first degree
First degree and second degree
If you've got any papers will you serve them to me?

Well they took me down town and they dressed me in black
They put me on a train and they brought me back
I had no one for to go my bail
They crammed me back into the county jail

The judge and the jury they took their stand
The judge had the papers in his right hand
Forty-one days, forty-one nights
Forty-one years to wear the ball and the stripes