I was born in Macon Georgia

They kept my dad in the Macon jail

Dad said son if you keep your hands clean

You won't hear them bloodhounds on your trail

But I fell in with bad companions we robbed a man in Tennessee

The sheriff caught me way up in Nashville

They locked me up and threw away the key

I washed my hands in muddy water

Washed my hands but they didn't come clean

Tried to do like daddy told me but

I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream

I asked the jailor when's

My time up he said son we won't forget

And if you try to keep

Your hands clean we may make a good man of you yet

I couldn't wait to do my sentence

I broke out of the Nashville jail

I just crossed the line of Georgia and

I can hear them bloodhounds on my trail

I washed my hands in muddy water

Washed my hands but they didn't come clean

Tried to do like daddy told me but

I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream