Billy walked to his death

and held his head high.

He knew no matter what Judge said

he never told no lie.

He never did shoot that boy,

he wasn’t there that night.

He never did pull the trigger,

he didn’t start no fight.

Now Billy spent the last 4 years

stuck inside a cage.

Barely any sunlight,

only room for rage.

He didn’t let that get him down,

“In my mind I’m free.

I know that I’m innocent,

no matter what they do to me.”

Young Billy walked to his death

and held his head high.

He knew no matter what Judge said

he never told no lie.

Now they tried to say Billy

was a cold and callous killer.

It worried Bill so much,

he could barely eat his dinner.

Billy never hurt no one

he could barely squash a fly,

he was ‘fraid of the charges

and what they could imply.

It was his word against the dead

He knew he stood no chance

They were gonna do away with Billy

without a second glance.

So Billy walked to his death

and held his head high.

He knew no matter what Judge said

he never told no lie.

Billy had one goal today,

to go and die with pride.

He stiffened up that upper lip

and lengthened up his stride.

He walked to the table

and began to shake,

for he knew this was the last time

he’d ever be awake.

So Billy walked to his death

and held his head high.

They killed Billy that day

in the heat of July.