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

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 can't fight

but i had my old randall knife

i cut that boy and i never did look back

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