Lyrics:

I went down to Taneytown I went down to Taneytown To see what I could see My mama told me never go But I'm 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 You'd think that they ain't never seen A colored boy before They chunked at me at me Called me names They'd 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 cain't 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 ain't goin' back there anymore