[Verse 1]
I was born in Macon, Georgia
They kept my dad in the Macon jail
And he said son if you keep your hands clean
You won't hear them bloodhounds on your trail
But I fell in with bad companions
We robbed a man in Tennessee
The sheriff caught me
Way up in Nashville
They locked me up and threw away the key
[Chorus]
Washed my hands in muddy water
Washed my hands, but they didn’t come clean
Tried to do like daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream
[Verse 2]
I asked the jailor when's my time up?
He said son, we won’t forget
And if you try to keep your hands clеan
We may make a good man of you yet
I couldn't wait to do my sеntence
I broke out of the Nashville jail
I just crossed the line of Georgia
And I can hear them bloodhounds on my trail
[Chorus]
Washed my hands in muddy water
Washed my hands, but they didn't come clean
Tried to do like daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream