It was the town of Knoxville, a town you all know well, Raised by honest parents, and the truth to you I'll tell.I fell in love with a Knoxville girl, with dark and roving eyes, I asked this maiden to marry me, and me she didn't deny.I fell in love with another girl, I loved her just as well, The devil put it into my heart, my first true love to kill.I called upon my girl one night, along about half past eight, To walk along, talk along, and plan our wedding day.We walked along and talked along, till we came to level ground, I picked a stick up off the ground, and I knocked that fair girl down.Oh Lord, oh Lord, don't murder me here, oh Lord, oh Lord, she cried, Oh Billy, my dear, don't murder me here, for I'm unprepared to die.I paid no heed to the maiden, I only beat her more, Till the ground around me within her blood did flow.I picked her up by long curly hair, I drug her round and round, Then I threw her in the river that flows by Knoxville town.I went home about one o'clock, my clothes were bloody old, The explanation I gave to them had been bleeding at the nose.So I called for a candle to light my way to bed, I called for a handkerchief to cool my aching head.Then I rolled and tumbled the whole night through, my dreams were a living hell. They came from the town of Knoxville, and they took me off to jail.Now I'm here to weather my life away, inside this dirty old jail, All because I murdered the Knoxville girl, the girl I loved so well.