In the beautiful hills way back in Roane County
There's where I roamed for many long years
There's where my heart's been tending most ever
There's where the first step of misfortune I made

I was thirty years old when I courted and married
When Armanda Gilbraith was then called my wife
Her brother stabbed me for some unknown reason
Just three months later I'd taken Tom's life

For twenty-five years this whole world I rambled
I went to old England, to France and to Spain
Then I thought of my home way back in Roane County
I boarded a steamer and I come back again

I was captured and tried in the village of Kingston
Not a man in that county would speak one kind word
When the jury came in with the verdict next mornin'
A lifetime in prison were the words that I heard

When the train pulled out poor Mother stood weepin'
And sister she sat alone with a sigh
And the last words I heard was Willie, God bless you
Was Willie, God bless you, God bless you goodbye

No matter what happens to me in Roane County
No matter how long my sentence may be
I love my old home way back in Roane County
It's way back down in ol' East Tennessee

Sweet Martha was great but Corey was better
There's better and worse although you can see
Boys when you write home from the prison in Nashville
Place one of my songs in your letter for me