I was born and raised
A bootlegger's boy
In the Cherokee hills
I plied my trade
In Mountain City
I had me a time
Just a-makin' money
On the corn moonshine
Well I hauled my load
Into Knoxville town
I met me a girl
And we knocked around
Well them Knoxville girls
Couldn't leave me alone
With my suit so fine
And my bottle of corn
I'm goin' back to Mountain City
So I can make another run
Load my trunk with my moonshine whisky
I am a brave bootlegger's son
Well I sold that corn
To the circuit judge
On the public square
To many a tramp
Well I met with trouble
On the tracks one night
With a drunken man
I commenced to fight
We fought five rounds
Then I put him away
With a wicked jab
From a razor blade
How the women screamed
And the bottles broke
On the stony ground
Where the blood did flow
I'm goin' back to Mountain City
The deed I done they'll never know
I killed a man in a fuel of whisky
I am a rude bootlegger's boy
Now I hang my head
Just to hide my shame
Lost all my money
Can't find a friend
I'm gonna drag my bones
To the mountainside
If the corn don't kill me
I might never die
I'm goin' back to Mountain City
Or else they'll hang me this I know
I killed a man in a feud of whisky,
I am a cruel Bootlegger's boy.
I'm goin' back to Mountain City
In the Cherokee hills I started from
Goin' home broke, ain't it a pity
Lord curse this rude bootlegger's son