I'LL BE HANGED (IF THEY'RE GONNA HANG ME)
As sung by Zora and the Hometowners,* on Decca 5460-A, 1937.

Well, I'll be dinged! (Yeah!)
I'll be danged! (Yeah!)
I'll be durned! (Yeah!) I'll be blamed! (Yeah!)
I'll be hanged! (Yes! No!)
I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.

I was standin' by a bank in Arizona, (Arizona)
And I never thought of doin' any harm, (any harm)
When I turned and saw the sherriff of the county, (heighdy, sherriff)
And he flipped his badge and grabbed me by the arm. (by the arm)
He accused me as the robber of the mail train, (express)
And he said I was the leader of the gang. (of the gang)
He escorted me before a judge and jury, (mornin', judge)
And the verdict was that I was gonna hang. (gonna hang)

But I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.
If they do, I'll sue the penitentiary.
I may never be forgiven,
But I'm so darn used to livin'.
I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.

When they say I'll swing, they don't mean the swing you sing.

Well, they cut my hair and handed me a number, (one to ten)
And they offered me a towel and cake o' soap. (cake o' soap)
When they asked me if I'd like to go in swimmin', (go in swimmin')
I said no, I'd much prefer to skip the rope. (skip it, skip it)
Now for twenty-seven days I've been in prison (in the clink)
Just for doin' somethin' that I didn't do. (didn't do)
I wrote ev'ry friend I had outside the prison: (as follows)
"Won't you kindly send a saw and see me through?" (saw me through)

But I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.
You can bet your boots and saddle I'll go free.
They can go and hang my photo
That they took in North Dakoto.
I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.

Oh, I wish I had five minutes head start.

Wrote a letter to my sweetheart on the prairie
Askin' her to help me make a prison break,
So she baked a cake and in it put a hammer,
But she didn't send an axe to cut the cake.
I sent money to a friend across the border.
I instructed him to buy a forty-four,
But he sent me back a gun for shootin' water
That he purchased at a five-and-ten-cent store.

But I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.
I'll be hanged if they hang me to a tree.
I ain't talkin' like a smarty,
But there'll be no neckin' party.
I'll be hanged if they're gonna hang me.


* Transcribed by me from a recording found at Spotify, from the various-artists album "Western Swing Classics, Vol. 4." I believe the band is also known as "Zora Layman & the Homesteaders." Zora was married to Frank Luther.