Cat. #0268 (MFH #670) - As sung by Mrs. Roxie Phillips, Berryville, Arkansas on November 4, 1958
VERSE 1
It was in th town of Nero
Where I did live an' dwell
It was in th town of Waxwell
I owned a flour mill
VERSE 2
I fell in love with a Waxwell girl
With dark an' rolling eyes
I asked her, to marry me
And yes, she did reply
VERSE 3
Into her sisters house, we went
Th wedding to provide
I asked her, to walk with me
Down by th river side
VERSE 4
We traveled over hill an' valley
Till we came to level ground
I picked up a gambrel stick
An' knocked th fair maid down
VERSE 5
She fell upon her bended knees,
Have mercy, she did cry
O, Johnny dear, don't murder me
I'm not prepared to die
VERSE 6
He gave no heed, to th words she said
But tapped her more and more
Until th ground all around her
Was covered, with bloody moor
VERSE 7
He dragged her by th yellow locks
He dragged her on th ground
He dragged her by th river side
And plunged her in to drown
VERSE 8
Lie there, lie there, you Waxwell girl
Lie there, lie there, he cried
Lie there, lie there, you Waxwell girl
To you, I'll never be tied
VERSE 9
It was twelve o'clock or afterwards
When I got home that night
My mother was sitting there
All in an awful fright
VERSE 10
O, Johnny dear, where have you been
There's blood upon your clothes
Th only answer I could give
Was bleeding at th nose
VERSE 11
She handed me a napkin
To wrap my aching head
She handed me a candle
That lighted me to bed
VERSE 12
Th flames of hell, shown 'round me
The Waxwell girl about
Her sister swore, that it was I
Who took her sister out
VERSE 13
So, early next morning
Th Waxwell girl was found
A floating down th river
That runs thru Waxwell town
VERSE 14
They took me on suspision
They marched me down to jail
No one to go my security
No one to go my bail
VERSE 15
Come all you, young people
Take warning here, by me
Don't murder your true lover
It'll be a cruelty
VERSE 16
It'll bother you, it'll bother you
Until th day you die,
And then they will hang you
Upon th scaffold high