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