I went down to taneytown
I went down to taneytown
To see what I could see
My mama told me never go
But Im almost 22 years old
Sometimes I fear this holler swollow me
She ran off to gettysburg
Went off with that new beau of hers
I snuck off after dark
Long way down the county road
Stars were bright
The moon was low
Down to where the black top highway starts
Chorus:
I went down to taneytown
I went down to taneytown
I went down to see what I could see
I could see everybody stared at me
Youd think that they aint never seen
A colored boy before
They chunked at me at me
Called me names
Theyd have whipped me sure but the sheriff came
I slipped off through the dry goods store
I ran down division street
Some of them boys followed me
Down to the railroad track
Four of them and I caint fight
But I had my old randall knife
I cut that boy and I never did look back
Chorus
Cross the fields and woods I run
Like a bullet from a rabbit gun
Back home to my bed
Ma came in from gettysburg
Her and that new beau of hers
"boy you look like hell" was all she said
Month went by without a word
Somebody down the holler heard
About that boy they hung
He begged those men to spare his life
But I dropped my bloody randall knife
He picked it up so they thought he was the one
I went down to taneytown
I went down to taneytown
I aint goin back there anymore