I said I'd seen the killin'
Could identify the villain
Shot a man beneath the town hall glow
I was one of few
The jury never knew
Lied to line our pockets with the banker's jealous gold
Said his lovin' woman sinned
Let alone with a friend
He couldn't have his children's mother shamed
Who I saw shoot and run
Coulda' been anyone
For the price of a new plow a local man was framed
Now the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel
I see his body sway
Father please forgive me for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
I never strayed before
But the pain of bein' poor
Lord, what the hell came over me
This ain't who mama raised
Another dollar fearin' slave
But the thought of losin' all our land was blindin' to see
Now the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel
I see his body sway
Father please forgive me for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
The seeds have all been sown
Soon the crops are nearly grown
But the rain let up, the ground turned hard as nails
The banker took my home
Now I'm in these hills alone
Oh from time to time I see his wife in a long black veil
Oh how the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel
I see his body sway
Father please forgive me for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
Oh Father please forgive me for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied