I was born in the Dakota badlands
no shoes on my feet,
no gloves on my hand
I headed out running, strait for Kansas City
I shot Big Jim Baum as he cried for pity

There ain’t no work here
the lumber camps have closed
now I run away in fear
of what Mrs. Molly Baum knows

I left him in the gutter with nothing,
no shoes, no wallet,
no diamond ring
I ran down the alley to sixth and main
where the S+P stops its midnight train

If they catch me they’ll give me life
Never have no home
Never have no wife
I’ll may come back to this place
If Molly Baum remembers my face

Daddy always said “if you kill a man
don’t leave a witness,
better have a plan”
but I just couldn’t kill that woman
and I see my fate is comin