Washed My Hands in the Muddy Water

Written by Joe Babcock

Key of G · Chords: I IV V

Verse 1

  G6          D7
I was born in Macon Georgia
                           G6
They kept my daddy over in Macon jail
        G         G7   C9
He told me if you keep your hands clean
    G6         D7               G6
You won’t hear them bloodhounds on your trail

Verse 2

       G6               D7
Well I fell in with bad companions
                   G6
Robbed a man up in Tennessee
     G         G7     C9
They caught me way up in Nashville
     G6           D7        G6
They locked me up and threw away the key

Verse 3

         G6          D7
I washed my hands in muddy water
                                G6
Washed my hands but they didn’t come clean
         G       G7 C9
Tried to do what my daddy told me
    G6                 D7            G6
But I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream

Verse 4

        G6                      D7
I asked the judge now when’s my time up
                              G6
He said son you know we won’t forget
       G        G7      C9
If you try just to keep your hands clean
   G6         D7              G6
We might just make a good man of you yet

Verse 5

Oh I couldn’t wait to get my time up
                         G6
I broke out broke out of Nashville jail
       G           G7         C9
I just crossed the state-line of Georgia
     G6         D7                G6
Well I can hear those bloodhounds on my trail