The Boston States

When I was just a boy I knew this little girl a pretty little thing named Josephine Her tiny little lust in our tiny little world I was willing she was pretty long and lean We first made love in the summer, her daddy found out that fall He beat her with his fists upon the lips that I just kissed And shipped her off down to the Boston States Oh, he shipped her off down to the Boston States When I turned 17 I joined the King's Marine And took my place among the world of men Two years since I'd seen, my pretty Josephine I wondered if I'd see her face again Then the news came of rebellion, down New England way We sailed in the spring in the Name of the King They shipped me off down to the Boston States Oh, they shipped me off down to the Boston States We marched to Concorde Town to unleash hell and fury To teach the rebel scum the art of war They beat us back they shot me down They dragged my ass on into town with a dead man that I'd ran through before In a solitary act of retribution, they threw me at his widows feet I raised my eyes to see my pretty Josephine A twist of fate down in the Boston States Oh, a twist of fate down in the Boston States The well inside my heart is dry and reminiscing fool am I, holdin' on to memories of old A potent brew of love and guilt Plant a seed and blood first spilt a strappin man that surely was my own She bid me well and begged I'd take the boy back home to Port Shoreham with me She gave to me the sweetest kiss and then she slit her wrists And died for nothing down in the Boston States Oh, died for nothing down in the Boston States Josephine, if you could see our boy now, you'd be so proud, you'd be happy I did my best to raise him, on my own, in your memory He asks about you from time to time, I never know what to say So on this lonesome night I told him that you died A hero down in the Boston states Oh, died a hero down in the Boston states