Janie Lynn

High on a bluff of the Arkansas river Where the eagle cries to the wind 'Neath a moss covered stone lies a box full of bones And a ring engraved "Janie Lynn" My horse was needin' shoes, my throat was needin' booze After six long days down in the mine That Appaloosa roan many nights had brought me home After nippin' on the whiskey or the wine Bar at Fifth and Pearl had a brand new dancin' girl And I tossed a shiny dollar at her feet She took it with a grin said, "My name is Janie Lynn If you're buyin' whiskеy then I'll drink it neat" And I said, "Good to know you, Janie darlin' I'vе never seen a woman look so fine I'd gladly rob and kill from here to Johnsonville Just to win ten minutes of your time" Well, I hit the bottle hard and sometime after dark I heard Janie yellin' in the street That Yankee Bill Sinclair had grabbed her by the hair And I was watchin' when he knocked her off her feet Well, I drew a wicked knife and I took the old man's life Before I even knew what I had done I whistled for my roan but the traitor trotted home And there I was too drunk to even run I just said, "Are you OK, Janie darlin'? Have you ever seen a brighter moon? This may be the last time I get to see it shine If only I had just walked home with you Now Janie makes me pray when she visits twice a day For tomorrow is the day that I will swing When no one was around and her tears were fallin' down She handed me her pretty golden ring And I said, "No more weepin' for me, Janie There's no turnin' back the hands of time And anyway it's true that ten minutes with you Was better than a lifetime in the mine" High on a bluff of the Arkansas river Where the eagle cries to the wind 'Neath a moss covered stone lies a box full of bones And a ring engraved "Janie Lynn"