Went out one night to make a little round
I met Little Sadie and I shot her down
Went back home, jumped into bed
44 pistol under my head

I woke up in the morning about half past nine
The hacks and the buggies standing in line
Gents and gamblers standing around
Taking little sadie to her burying ground

I began to think of what a deed I'd done
I grabbed my hat and away I did run
Made a good run, just a little too slow
They overtook me in jericho

Standing on the corner a reading a bill
and up stepped the sheriff from thomasville
he said miss is your name brown

remember the night you shot sadie down

i said oh yes sir but my name is lee
and i murdered little sadie in the first degree
first degree and second degree
got any papers will you read 'em to me

so they took me downtown and dressed me in black
put me on a train and started me back
all the way back to the thomasville jail
had no money for to go my bail

the judge and the jury they took their stand
the judge had the papers in his right hand
forty one days, forty one nights,
forty one years to wear the ball and stripes