There was a girl called Mary Anne
Mary Anne was all the world to me
We planned to get married and we
Set the date the wedding was to be

I went off to her house one night
And out there on the front porch they sat
And I swore they'd never get away with that

Billy Joe took Mary Anne
Up to the dance hall one night
They didn't know that I was standin'
Back there in the shadows out of sight

Sat down at a table and she smiled as he gave her hand a pat
And I swore they'd never get away with that

I swore they would never get away with breakin' my heart
I knew that there was just one way to keep them apart

Everybody says his mother
Told him not to take his guns to town
He should have listened to her
She knew I was gonna shoot him down

Now, I'll be hung tomorrow just because I had to kill that little rat
And I swore they'd never get away with that
I swore they'd never get away with breakin' my heart
I knew that there was just one way to keep them apart

Everybody says his mother
Told him not to take his guns to town
He should have listened to her
She knew I was gonna shoot him down

Now I'll be hung tomorrow just because I had to kill that little rat
And I swore they'd never get away with that
And Billy Joe didn't get away with that

Well, he didn't get away, no
Well, he didn't get away, no
Well, he didn't get away, no, woo

Didn't get away, didn't get away
Didn't get away, didn't get away
Didn't get away, didn't get away