Oh, the cold of the mountains, back in the backwoods The cold of the mountains, the unwritten lawOh, the cold of the mountains, way back in the backwoods Where Harry and Joe Brown shot Charlie McGrawThey found him at daybreak, back in the backwoods Found him at daybreak, he was down on his kneesHe pleaded for mercy, way back in the backwoods He pleaded for mercy, oh please hear my pleaSaid Harry to Charlie, back in the backwoods Said Harry to Charlie, you thought you were slyBut the cold of the mountains, way back in the backwoods The cold of the mountains, it says you must dieHarry loaded his rifle, back in the backwoods Loaded his rifle, Joe loaded his tooOne shot another, way back in the backwoods One shot another, and then it was throughThey buried old Charlie back in the backwoods Buried old Charlie without any friendsOne shot another, way back in the backwoods One shot another, and that was the end