DavidVandeVelde.com

Have mercy on me

I'm just a boy kinda' quick with a gun,

I shot a man down and I had to run.

I never thought it would end this way,

Can't you hear me crying, can't you hear me say?

Judge, Judge, have mercy on me!

I'm just a poor boy can't you see?

I'm not a killer and neither are you,

I just did what I had to do.

Now Sheriff Taylor had a history you see,

He hated my daddy, and he never liked me.

My daddy said it was a secret he kept,

So one night Taylor shot him while he slept.

He couldn't find me but he knew I was around,

I was outside sleeping on the ground,

I watched him ride away in the midnight air,

Then I ran inside and heard my daddy's last prayer...

He said Lord, Lord have mercy on me,

I'm just a poor man can't you see?

I know I did things that I shouldn't of done,

But you helped me raise one mighty fine son.

I strapped on my gun and I headed for town,

I knew the sheriff would be hunting me down.

He met me halfway and he slapped leather,

But my gun and my hand were light as a feather,

So Judge, Judge have mercy on me!

I'm just a poor boy can't you see?

I'm not a killer and neither are you,

I just did what I had to do.