I went out last night to take a little round And I met a little Sadie and I blowed her down And I went straight home and I went to bed Forty four smokin' beneath my head Well I began to thinkin' what a deed I'd done So I grabbed my hat and started to run I made a good run, just a little too slow Overtook me around Jericho Standing on the corner, reading the bill When up came the sheriff from Thomasville He said, young man, is your name Brown? Remember the night when you blowed Sadie down? Well oh yes sir, my name is Lee And I murdered little Sadie in the first degree First degree, second degree Got any papers, better read 'em to me Well they dragged me downtown, dressed me in black Turned me on the train and sent me back Had no one for to go my bail Took me down to the county jail Well the judge and the jury took their stand And the judge had the papers in his right hand Forty one days, forty one nights Forty one years to wear the ball and the stripes