I was out one night, makin’ a round.
I met Little Sadie, and I shot her down.
Went back home, got in my bed,
A forty-four smokeless under my head.

Got up next morning about half past nine.
The hacks and the buggies were standin’ in line.
All of them good folks waitin’ around
To carry Little Sadie to the burying ground.

Well, I began to think about the deed I done.
I grabbed my coat and away I run.
I made my run, but I made it too slow,
And they overtook me in Jerico.

I was standin’ on a corner readin’ a bill
When up stepped the sheriff from Thomasville.
He said, “Young man, is your name ‘Brown’ ?”
“Remember the night you shot Sadie down?”

I said, “Yes sir, my name is ‘Lee’,
And I murdered Little Sadie in the First Degree.
First Degree, Second Degree,
If you got any papers won’t you read ‘me to me.”

They took me downtown, and they dressed me in black.
Put me on the train for to carry me back.
All the way back to the Thomasville jail,
And I had no money for to go my bail.

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