Went out last night, take a little round
Met little Sadie and I blowed her down
Then I run right home and went to bed
With a forty-four smokeless under my head

The girls all heard little Sadie was dead
They went home to be ragged in red
Come a slippin´ and a slidin´ down the street
In their loose mother hubbards and their stocking feet

Well I began to think what a deed I´d done
Grabbed my hat and I started to run
I made a good run just a little too slow
And they overtook me in Jericho

Standing on the corner reading a bill
Up stepped the sheriff of Thomasville
Said young man is your name Lee Brown?
Remember the night you blowed Sadie down?

Yes I said my name is Lee
I murdered little Sadie in a first degree
First degree and a second degree
If ya got any papers, read ´em to me

Took me downtown, dressed me in black
Put me on a train and send me back
Didn´t have no one to go on my bail
Throw me back in the county jail

Judge and the jury took their stand
Judge had the papers in his hand
Forty-one days and forty-one nights
Forty-one years just to wear them stripes