This is probably the oldest recorded version of the song.

Lyrics transcribed from several sound samples, augmented by information from Michael Taft's Pre-War Blues Lyrics

NINETY-NINE YEAR BLUES
As recorded by Julius Daniels, 19-Feb-1927. (Victor 20658)

Bring me my pistol, three rounds of ball,
I'm gonna kill everybody broke this poor boy['s] law, (?)
Poor boy law, poor boy law,
Poor boy law.

On a Monday I was 'rrested. On a Tuesday I was tried.
The judge found me guilty and I hung my head and cried,
Lord, and cried, Lord, and cried,
Lord, and cried, Lord, and cried.

I asked the judge, "What will be my fine?"
Says, "A pick and a shovel way down Joe Brown's (?) coal mine,
Coal mine, coal mine,
Coal mine, coal mine,
Coal mine."

"Be light on me, judge. I ain't been here before."
"Give you ninety-nine years. Don't come back here no more,
No more, no more,
No more, no more."