IN CUMBERLAND KENTUCKY ON A COOL HOT EVENING 

BILLY LAY IN LOVE WITH MARRIANNE 

SHE WAS A RICH JUDGE'S DAUGHTER, HE WAS A SON OF A MINER 

BUT THAT NIGHT THEIR LOVE WAS MORE THAN THEY COULD STAND 



THE JUDGE SAID TO HIS DAUGHTER, THAT SON OF THAT COAL MINER 

IS SOMEONE YOU'D DO WELL TO LEAVE ALONE 

SHE KNEW HER DAD SO WELL, SHE KNEW SHE COULDN'T TELL 

BUT THE TRUTH WAS BOUND TO SHOW BEFORE TOO LONG 

THEIR LOVE HAD STARTED GROWING ON ITS OWN 



YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 



BILLY PLACED HIS HAND ON MARY AND HE FELT THE BABY'S MOVING 

KISSED HER AND SAID I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I CAN 

THE JUDGE HAD MADE A PROMISE WHEN HE CAUGHT UP WITH BILLY 

HE'D SENT HIM FAR AWAY FROM MARIANNE 



THE WHOLE TOWN KNEW HE'D DO IT TOO MANY TIMES HE'D PROVED IT 

TO AT LEAST A HUNDRED MEN BEHIND THE WALL 



HE'D SMILED BEHIND THAT FROWN AND WHEN HE BROUGHT THAT GAVEL DOWN 

HE CALLED HIMSELF THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

AND HE'D SET HIS MIND ON SEEING BILLY FALL 



IN A HOT HUMID MINE SHACK A MID-WHITE PULLED THE SHEET BACK 

AND PLACED COOL DAMP TOWEL ON MARIANNE 

BILLY'S EYES WERE WIDE WITH WONDER FROM THE SPELL HE WAS UNDER 

WHEN SHE PLACED THE NEW BORN BABY IN HIS HANDS 



HE DIDN'T HEAR THE SIREN, JUST A BABY'S CRYING 

THAT MIRACLE OF LOVE WAS ALL HE SAW 



WHEN THE DOOR CAME CRASHING DOWN AND BILLY TURNED AROUND 

HE FELT THE HEART AND SOUL INSIDE HIM FALL 

HE STOOD FACE TO FACE WITH THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 



YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

YOU CAN HIDE OUT FOR A WHILE, HE SAYS WITH A SMILE 

BUT YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 



SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY DOWN IN CUMBERLAND KENTUCKY 

CAME OUT THAT DAY TO SEE POOR BILLY'S TRIAL 

THE COURT WAS CALLED TO ORDER, THERE SAT THE JUDGE'S DAUGHTER 

SHE LOOKED SO PROUD, HOLDING BILLY'S CHILD 



WHEN THEY BROUGHT BILLY TO HIM, THE JUDGE JUST LOOK RIGHT THRU HIM 

AS HE HELD THAT HOLY BIBLE IN HIS HAND AND HE SMILED AT HIS GRANDSON 

THEN HIS EYES CUT BACK TO BILLY 

AND SAID I THINK THIS TIME THE LAW WILL UNDERSTAND 

SON, I SENTENCE YOU TO LIFE WITH MARIANNE 



YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

HE SAID TO BILLY WITH A SMILE, I KNOW YOU HIDE OUT FOR A WHILE 

AH BUT YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW 

NO YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW