D              G            A                   D
My name is Billy Austin and I'm twenty-nine years old
      G            D          Bm               Bm A G  
I was born in Oklahoma quarter Cherokee I'm told
                    D           G                 A
Don't remember Oklahoma been so long since I left home
               G               Bm               G            Bm A D
Seems like I've always been in prison like I've always been alone


    D               G            A                      D
Didn't mean to hurt nobody never thought I'd cross that line
       G            D                Bm               Bm A G 
I held up a filling station like I'd done a hundred times
                    D           G                    A
The kid done like I told him he lay face down on the floor
           G               Bm               G                      Bm A D
guess I'll never know what made me turn and walk back through that door


    D                  G          A                D
The shot rang out like thunder my ears rang like a bell
G           D            Bm               Bm A G 
No one came runnin' so I called the cops myself
                   D               G               A
Took their time to get there and I guess I could'a run
  G                        Bm              G               Bm A D
I knew I should be feeling something but I never shed tear one


    D                  G               A               D
I didn't even make the papers 'cause I only killed one man
       G              D                    Bm             Bm A G 
but my trial was over quickly and then the long hard wait began
                D               G              A
Court appointed lawyer couldn't look me in the eye
              G                 Bm             G                    Bm A D
He just stood up and closed his briefcase when they sentenced me to die

    D           G           A                D
Now my waitin's over as the final hour drags by
  G           D                  Bm               Bm A G 
I ain't about to tell you that I don't deserve to die
                         D        G                       A
But there's twenty-seven men here mostly black, brown and poor
 G             Bm             G              Bm A D
Most of em are guilty who are you to say for sure?

    D                             G            A               D
So when the preacher comes to get me and they shave off all my hair
        G                     D               Bm               Bm A G 
Could you take that long walk with me knowing hell is waitin' there?
                    D                           G               A
Could you pull that switch yourself Sir, with a sure and steady hand?
       G                 Bm                    G             Bm A D
Could you still tell youself, Sir, that you're better than I am?

G                D          G                 A
My name is Billy Austin I'm twenty-nine years old
      G            Bm          G            Bm
I was born in Oklahoma quarter Cherokee I'm told