I met a little girl in Knoxville
a town we all know well
And every Sunday evening out
in her home I'd dwell
We went to take an evening
walk about a mile from town
I thought of how she cheated me so
I knocked that fair girl down
She fell down on her bended
knees for mercy she did cry
Oh please my dear don't kill me
here I'm not prepare to die
She never spoke another word
I only beat her more
Until the ground around me
with inner blood did flow
I took her by her golden curles and
I dragged her round and round
Throwing her into the river that
flows through Knoxville town
Go down go down you Knoxville girl
with the dark and rovin' eyes
Go down go down you Knoxville
girl you can never be my bride
I started back to Knoxville got
there about daylight
My mother she was worried
and broke up in her pride
Sayin' dear son what have you
done too bloody your clothes are
I told my attention mother I
was bleeding at my nose
They took me down to Knoxville
and they locked 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 old jail
Because I killed that Knoxville
girl the one I loved so well