[Verse 1]
All my life, I ain't ever been a lucky man
Saw the back of my daddy's hand
Lost your mama to the promised land
In my time, I ain't ever had a thing that's mine
'Til they handed me a baby fine
My little girl

[Pre-Chorus 1]
There are only two things I know
I get ugly when the whiskey flows
Wanted you to know I love you so
And I would kill before I let you go

[Chorus]
Taking off for Mississippi
Wearing someone else's name
Brought you in this world and I
Can take you from it just the same
If you leave for Mississippi
I will beat you at your game
Brought you in this world and I
Can take you from it just the same

[Verse 2]
My dear one
Heard you're whispering your plans to run
Off to marry some rich man's son
I bet he's never met a poor man's gun
[Pre-Chorus 2]
In the darkness you could not see
The drunken devil instructing me
Two bullets in a crimson sea
Now I'm certain that you'll never be

[Chorus]
Taking off for Mississippi
Wearing someone else's name
Brought you in this world and I
Can take you from it just the same
If you leave for Mississippi
I will beat you at your game
Brought you in this world and I
Can take you from it just the same

[Verse 3]
Grief and sin
When the righteousness of you sets in
And the blood in my veins begins to ramble on
Now I know we can stand and judge the execution man
But we all have to make a trembling stand before the sun

[Outro]
Maple tree
Can your branches carry me?
Before the war, before the wine
Before I stole what wasn't mine
Can you bring my baby back to me?