My mother came to Hazard when I was just seven.
Even then the folks in town said with prejudiced eyes:
"That boy's not right ..."
Three years ago when I came to know Mary,
First time that someone looked beyond [bad word] and the lies
And saw the man inside ...
 [bad word] ]
We used to walk down by the river.
She loved to watch the sun go down.
We used to walk along the river
And dream our way out of this town ...

No one understood what I felt for Mary.
No one cared until the night she went out walking alone
And never came home ...
Man with a badge came knocking next morning.
Here was I surrounded by a thousand fingers suddenly
Pointed right at me ...
 [bad word] 2:]
I swear I left her by the river.
I swear I left her safe and sound.
I need to make it to the river
And leave this old Nebraska town.

I think about my life gone by
And how it's done me wrong.
There's no escape for me this time.
All of my rescues are gone, long gone.