Mason Jennings - The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll

William Zanzinger killed poor Hattie Carroll 
With a cane that he twirled around his diamond ring finger 
At a Baltimore hotel society gath’rin’ 
And the cops were called in and his weapon took from him 
As they rode him in custody down to the station 
And booked William Zanzinger for first-degree murder 
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears 
Take the rag away from your face 
Now ain’t the time for your tears 

William Zanzinger, who at twenty-four years 
Owns a tobacco farm of six hundred acres 
With rich wealthy parents who provide and protect him 
And high office relations in the politics of Maryland 
Reacted to his deed with a [bad word] of his shoulders 
And swear words and sneering, and his tongue it was snarling 
In a matter of minutes on bail was out walking 
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears 
Take the rag away from your face 
Now ain’t the time for your tears 

Hattie Carroll was a maid of the kitchen 
She was fifty-one years old and gave birth to ten children 
Who carried the dishes and took out the garbage 
And never sat once at the head of the table 
And didn’t even talk to the people at the table 
Who just cleaned up all the food from the table 
And emptied the ashtrays on a whole other level 
Got killed by a blow, lay slain by a cane 
That sailed through the air and came down through the room 
Doomed and determined to destroy all the gentle 
And she never done nothing to William Zanzinger 
But you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears 
Take the rag away from your face 
Now ain’t the time for your tears 

In the courtroom of honor, the judge pounded his gavel 
To show that all’s equal and that the courts are on the level 
And that the strings in the books ain’t pulled and persuaded 
And that even the nobles get properly handled 
Once that the cops have chased after and caught ’em 
And that the ladder of law has no top and no bottom 
Stared at the person who killed for no reason 
Who just happened to be feelin’ that way without warnin’ 
And he spoke through his cloak, most deep and distinguished 
And handed out strongly, for penalty and repentance 
William Zanzinger with a six-month sentence 
Oh, but you who philosophize disgrace and criticize all fears 
Bury the rag deep in your face 
For now’s the time for your tears