I sorta feel like I was suckered into transcribing this. But here it is, for the sake of completeness:


THERE'S GONNA BE A HANGIN'
(Daniel Charles Tucek)

SPOKEN:
This is a story about a hangin', the most famous of them all.
Though it happened a long time ago, it still pertains to all y'all;
So belly up to the bar and take a listen to what I have to tell.
The facts are in and the record shows.
I'll shoot you straight; this is how the story goes:

SUNG:
He rode into the town, rode in on a welcome mat.
His steal-borrowed burro, the crowd cheering the ubiquitous white hat.
They said he was a hero, a hero for the times.
How a week sure changes things! Now he's wanted for a long list of crimes.

There's gonna be a hangin'; just you wait and see.
There's gonna be a hangin'; the outlaw dies and we'll be free.
The outlaw dies and we'll be free.

Some said he was the leader, leader of an outlaw band.
A posse quickly got their man; he was brought before a judge's stand.
A world of guilt and trouble came beating down on him.
This will be his destiny, and it's looking, looking mighty grim.

There's gonna be a hangin'; just you wait and see.
There's gonna be a hangin'; the outlaw dies and we'll be free.
The outlaw dies and we'll be free.

All his friends are gone; his mama grieves.
They'll hang him high in between a couple of two-bit thieves.

There's gonna be a hangin'; just you wait and see.
There's gonna be a hangin'; the outlaw dies and we'll be free.
The outlaw dies and we'll be free.
We'll be free.

So that's the basic story, but it really doesn't end.
I hope you find out for yourself what happened next, my friend.


Words and music by Daniel Charles Tucek.
As recorded by The Band in Black on "High Noon" (2016)