"My mother came to Hazard when I was just seven  Even then the folks in town said with prejudiced eyes  That boy's not right ...  Three years ago when I came to know Mary  First time that someone looked beyond the rumours and the lies  And saw the man inside ...  We used to walk down by the river  She loved to watch the sun go down  We used to walk along the river  And dream our way out of this town ...  No one understood what I felt for Mary  No one cared until the night she went out walking alone  And never came home ...  Man with a badge came knocking next morning  Here was I surrounded by a thousand fingers suddenly  Pointed right at me ...  I swear I left her by the river  I swear I left her safe and sound  I need to make it to the river  And leave this old Nebraska town  I think about my life gone by  And how it's done me wrong  There's no escape for me this time  All of my rescues are gone, long gone  I swear I left her by the river  I swear I left her safe and sound  I need to make it to the river  And leave this old Nebraska town ..."