I spent fourteen years in Texas penn 
 My God, it's time to blow this joint 
 My money's in a mattress stashed in Western Idaho 
 I've got my rifle in my saddlebag, a bottle for a soul 
 But if I get back to sweet Oregon, yeah, I'll know I've won the war 
 So shoot me down, just shoot me down 

 On my way up through New Mexico my luck just up and died 
 Now the sheriff needs a scapegoat for somebody else's crimes 
 And now they know my face, they know the graceful ways in which I kill 
 If my soul's spending on credit, oh please Lord, don't send the bill 

 Just shoot me down 
 You ain't got nothing' to decide 
 Shoot me down 
 Cause you won't be taking me alive 

 Now I've wasted me a Pinkerton, that boy was twenty-five 
 They hunt me like the devil's spawn and for once I don't know why 
 And if I make time to the border I might make it out alive 
 But, oh my God, the [bad word] and my credit [bad word] dry 
 So shoot me down, just shoot me down 

 Now they've got me on my knees, the sheriff's looking down his sight 
 The pastor spits tobacco as he's reading my last rights 
 But I'm daydreaming of the dawn on sweet McKenzie's morning light 
 Then I reach up grab the barrel just before I say goodnight