Haw River

Oh, holy man Why do you do the things you do? Oh, holy man There's a place in Hell for you Before Alamance was an Alamance White man rolled in with the current He brought his guns, brought his god And some brimstone-fire insurance He took 'em down by the river to pray But it wasn't their sins he'd take He said, "Come now, you black-haired sinner Come down, get your soul delivered I'll wash you clean by the timber Follow me down to the Haw River" One by one, he worked his way 'Til he washed the whole town whiter Slow and steady, he made his bed Settin' innocence on fire Mom and daddy didn't know the game But the youngest daughter felt the shame He said, "Come now, you black-haired sinner Come down, get your soul delivered I'll wash you clean by the timber Follow me down to the Haw River" Oh-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh, oh, oh Oh-oh, oh, oh See, there's a million ways that a sister's rage Can end up taking over She told the holy man "I wanna wash my hands on a cold night in October" She took him down by the river to pray But it wasn't his sins she'd take She said, "Come now, I'm your black-haired sinner Come down, get your soul delivered" Dropped that hammer when she squeezed that trigger Sent his ass down that Haw River Oh, holy man Why do you do the things you do? Oh, holy man And there's a place in Hell for you