Well, I heard 6 shots ring out in succession And it broke the night air like a china plate And in my knife blade I saw my own reflection And the devil was at the front gate And just when you wish that you were dead Oh may the light shine down upon your head Well, it's a long walk from the cell door to the gallows It's a long walk for a prisoner to take And when your last resort is pray to the lord That the noose is weak enough to break Oh shine, shine, shine, shine, shine down Oh shine down upon my head Well there's certain things you just can't escape from No matter how far and how fast you decide to run And when the last thing to take has been taken And the last prayer has rolled off your tongue