False Accuser's Lament Songtext
von Jason Boland & The Stragglers

I said I′d seen the killin' and could identify the villain
Who shot a man beneath the town hall floor
Now I was one of few, the jury never knew
Lied to line our pockets with the banker′s jealous gold
He said his lovin' woman sinned, let alone with a friend
He couldn't have his children′s mother shamed
Who I saw shoot and run, it could′ve been anyone
But for the price of a new plow, a local man was framed
Now the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel, I see his body sway
Father, please forgive me, for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
I never strayed before, but the pain of bein' poor
Lord, what the hell came over me?
This ain′t who mama raised, another dollar-fearin' slave But the thought of losin′ all our land was blindin', you see
Now the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel, I see his body sway
Father, please forgive me, for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
The seeds had all been sown, soon the crops were nearly grown
But the rain let up, the ground turned hard as nails
That banker took my home and now I′m in these hills alone
Oh, from time to time I see his wife in a long black veil
Oh how the nightly terror is the portion to be paid
I hear the guilty gavel, I see his body sway
Father, please forgive me, for I falsely testified
They had me swear upon the Bible and I lied
Oh Father, please forgive me, for I falsely testified