I'm holding my head up
I'm not gonna cry
Or tell them that I need her
And that without her I would die
I'm not gonna argue
They won't listen to me
I'm just gonna stay right here
Under the poplar tree

Let me tell you a story
It happened this way
It was born out of longing
In a man that's gone astray
I've been to the valley
In the shadow of death
I've crossed many rivers
Wearing a scar on my chest

Can I outrun this heartache?
A man, he sure can try
I gave my all to that woman
Then she turned around and said goodbye

I was in a high desert
Dell City was the town
That's when my luck turned south
This ol' boy started showin' out
He killed the clerk and a young girl
Who was only standin' there
He looked at me real peculiar
With the bullets flying through the air
I lit out in a hurry
He went out in a hearse
Heartbroken and wanted
Couldn't tell you which one of 'em is worse

He must've been real important
'Cause his posse caught up to me
I was holding my head up
When they hung me from a poplar tree
Yes, they hung me from the poplar tree