v.1
I met a little girl in Knoxville, a town I knew so well
And every Sunday evening, down in her house I'd dwell
We went to take an evening walk about a mile from town
I picked a stick up off the ground and knocked that bad girl down

v.2
She fell down on her bended knee, for mercy she did cry
"Oh Willy, dear, don't kill me here, I'm un-prepared to die"
She never spoke another word, I only beat her more
Until the ground around me within her blood did flow

v.3
I took her by her golden curls and drug her round and round
Throwing her in the river that flows through Knoxville town
Go down, go down you knoxville girl, with the dark and roaming eyes
Go down, go down you knoxville girl, you can never be my bride

v.4
I started back to Knoxville, got there about midnight
My mother she was worried and woke up in a fright
Saying "Dear son, what have you done, to bloody your clothes so?"
I told my anxious mother I was bleeding at my nose

v.5
I called for me a candle to light myself to bed
I called for me a handkerchief to bind my aching head
Rolled and tumbled the whole night through, as troubles was for me
Like flames of Hell around my bed, and in my eyes could see

v.6
They carried me down to Knoxville and put me in a cell
My friends all tried to get me out, but none could go my bail
I'm here to waste my life away down in this dirty ol' jail
Because I murdered that Knoxville girl, the girl I loved so well