As I went down to the river, poor boy To see the ships go by My sweetheart stood on the deck of one And she waved to me good-bye Bow down your head and cry, poor boy Bow down your head and cry Stop thinking about that woman you love Bow down your head and cry I followed her for months and months She offered me her hand We were just about to get married, when She ran off with a gambling man He came at me with a big jack knife I went for him with lead When the fight was over, poor boy He lay down beside me, dead They took me to the big jail house The months, the months rolled by The jury found me guilty, poor boy And the Judge said you must die And yet they call this justice, poor boy Then justice let it be I only killed a man that was Just a-fixing to kill me