I was born in Macon, Georgia
Like my dad, in the Macon jail
He said, Son, if you keep your hands clean
You won't hear them bloodhounds on your trail

But I fell in with bad companions
We robbed a man, in Tennessee
They caught me way up by Nashville
They locked me up and they threw away the key

Well, I washed my hands in muddy water
I washed my hands, but they wouldn't come clean
I tried to do like daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream

I asked the jailer, When's my time up
He said, Son, we won't forget
But if you try to keep your hands clean
We might just make a good man of you yet

Oh, but I couldn't wait to serve my sentence
So I broke out of the Tennessee jail
I just crossed that line of Georgia
And I can hear them bloodhounds on my trail

Said, I washed my hands in muddy water
I washed my hands, but they wouldn't come clean
I tried to do like my daddy told me
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream

---------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn't wait to serve my sentence
So I broke out of the Tennessee jail
I just crossed that line of Georgia
And I can hear them bloodhounds on my trail

Well, I washed my hands in muddy water
I washed my hands, but they wouldn't come clean
I tried to do like my daddy told me
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream

I tried to do like my daddy told me
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream