I was born and raised 
A bootlegger's boy 
In the Cherokee hills 
I plied my trade 
In Mountain 
City I had me a time 
Just a-makin' money 
On the corn moonshine 
Well I hauled my load 
Into Knoxville town 
I met me a girl 
And we knocked around 
Well them 
Knoxville girls 
Couldn't leave me alone 
With my suit so fine 
And my bottle of corn 
I'm goin' back to 
Mountain City 
So I can make another run 
Load my trunk with my moonshine whisky 
I am a brave bootlegger's son 
Well I sold that corn 
To the circuit judge 
On the public square 
To many a tramp 
Well I met with trouble 
On the tracks one night 
With a drunken man 
I commenced to fight 
We fought five rounds 
Then I put him away 
With a wicked jab 
From a razor blade 
How the women screamed 
And the bottles broke 
On the stony ground 
Where the blood did flow 
I'm goin' back to 
Mountain City 
The deed I done they'll never know 
I killed a man in a fuel of whisky 
I am a rude bootlegger's boy 
Now I hang my head 
Just to hide my shame 
Lost all my money 
Can't find a friend 
I'm gonna drag my bones 
To the mountainside 
If the corn don't kill me 
I might never die 
I'm goin' back to 
Mountain City 
Or else they'll hang me this 
I know I killed a man in a feud of whisky, 
I am a cruel 
Bootlegger's boy. 
I'm goin' back to 
Mountain City 
In the Cherokee hills 
I started from 
Goin' home broke, ain't it a pity 
Lord curse this rude bootlegger's son