They're building the gallows outside my cell, 
I got twenty-five minutes to go. 
The whole town's waiting to hear me yell, 
I got twenty-four minutes to go. 
Well, I tried the governor and the whole damn bunch, 
I got twenty-three minutes to go. 
And I tried the mayor, but the mayor's out to lunch, 
I got twenty-two minutes to go. 
They've given me beans for my last meal, 
I got twenty-one minutes to go. 
Nobody's asked me how I feel, 
I got twenty minutes to go. 
Well, the sheriff said he's gonna watch me die, 
I got nineteen minutes to go. 
Well, I spit in his face, and I spit in his eye, 
I got eighteen minutes... to go. 

Well, the preacher's come to save my soul, 
I got thirteen minutes to go. 
Well, he's talking about burnin' but I feel cold, 
Well, they're testing the trap, it chills my spine, 
I got eleven minutes to go. 
Well, the trap and the rope are both working fine, 
I got ten minutes to go. 
I'm waiting for the pardon that will set me free, 
I got nine minutes to go. 
But nobody's remembered me, 
I got eight more minutes to go. 

Well, I've seen the mountains and the sky, 
I got five minutes to go. 
And they're so pretty, I don't wanna die, 
I got four more minutes to go. 
Well, my feet are in the trap, my neck is in the noose, 
I got three minutes to go. 

Oh, will somebody please cut me loose, 
I got two more minutes to go. 
Well, I heard the buzzards, I've seen the crows, 
I got one minute to go. 
And now I'm swinging, and here I go, 
I go, I go, I gchchchch...