I was born in Macon Georgia
They kept my daddy over in Macon jail
He told me if you keep your hands clean
You won`t hear them bloodhounds on your trail

Well I fell in with bad companions
Robbed a man, oh up in Tennessee
They caught me way up in Nashville
They locked me up and threw away the key

I washed my hands in muddy water
Washed my hands, but they didn`t come clean
Tried to do what my daddy told me
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream

Well I asked the judge now when`s my time up
He said son, oh you know we won`t forget
If you try just to keep your hands clean
We might just make a good man of you yet

Oh I couldn`t wait to get my time up
I broke out, broke out of Nashville jail
I just crossed the state-line of Georgia
Well I can hear those bloodhounds on my trail

I washed my hands in muddy water
Washed my hands, but they didn`t come clean
Tried to do what my daddy told me
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream