I will go to the gallows at sunrise They say I am going to hang Through the opening will fall my young body On the end of a rope I will swing
My pals have all died on the gallows And I am awaiting my time If you wander astray in the struggle Your life will be wasted like mine
I think of my heartbroken mother Her pleadings have all been in vain
She suffered to rear me from childhood And now I'm her sorrow and shame Young man don't sin to you sorrow Don't shadow your dear mothers name My pals have all gone on before me And I am a lad left in pain
[Yodel]
No more will the boys gather round me The pals that I love have gone on I will die when the new day is dawning To pay for the deeds I've done wrong
Along I will die on the gallows Alone I will cross the divide But bury me there by my sweetheart To sleep through the years by her side
Dear mother oh soon I'll be going Oh mother I'll go with the dawn The bright stars are now dimmer growing Dear mother my time won't be long
Oh mother I know how you love me But mother I'm going to hang My pals have all gone on before me I guess I have played my last game