I was born in Macon, Georgia
They locked 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 jailor
"A-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."
But I couldn't wait to serve my sentence
So I broke out of a Tennessee jail
I just crossed that line to 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 daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream

I couldn't wait to serve my sentence
So I broke out of a Tennessee jail
I just crossed that line to 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 daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream
I tried to do like daddy told me
But I must've washed my hands in a muddy stream