It's I had me a wife,
She gave me trouble all of my life;
Made me work in the cold rain and snow.
Rain and snow, rain and snow
Made me work in the cold rain and snow.

She dresses me in old rags, 
And the worst of old rags
And went dressed like some lady in some town.
In some town, in some town
And went dressed like some lady in some town.

She come down the stairs 
Combin’ back her long wavy hair
And her cheeks were as red as a rose
As a rose, as a rose,
And her cheeks were as red as a rose.

And I took her to her room,
Where she met her fatal doom.
And I trembled to my knees with cold fear.
with cold fear, with cold fear,
And I trembled to my knees with cold fear.

I shot her through the head,
And I laid her on the bed,
And I trembled to my knees with cold fear.
with cold fear, with cold fear,
And I trembled to my knees with cold fear.