Po' me po' my what's gonna become of me   It was late last night when my woman got home   I was waitin' when she sneaked in the door   Before that no good woman could tell another lie I shot her with my forty four   Po' me po' my what's gonna become of me   Now they've got me in jail and they say it's a crime   For a man that shoot his woman down   If I'd known it was a crime to kill her by the way   I'd've threw her in the river to drown   Po' me po' my what's gonna become of me   [ banjo ]   I've heard all the talk and it don't sound good I wish I'd never heard what they said   They said that a new rope is too good for me   So they'll hang me with an old rope instead   Po' me po' my what's gonna become of me   The shadows from the bars and the window rolled on   There's just one more tomorrow for me   To look out my window makes my blood run cold cause I can see the hanging tree   Po' me po' my what's gonna become of me