Bill Lloyd - Billy Austin

Текст с Bandcamp’a: “Capital punishment as a state sanction against murder makes a curious paradox: ‘Killing people is wrong, so we are going to kill you.’ Is that revenge, deterrence, or ritual killing? When the death sentence is imposed lyrics Billy Austin Oh my name is Billy Austin, I’m 29 years old I was born in Oklahoma, 1/4 Cherokee I’m told I don’t remember Oklahoma, it’s a long time since I’ve been home, Seems I’ve always been in prison, seems I’ve always been alone. I didn’t mean to hurt nobody, never thought I’d cross that line I held up a filling station, like I’d done a hundred times. The kid did what I told him, he lay face down on the floor, And I’ll never know what made me turn & walk back through that door. The shot rang out like thunder, and my ears rang like a bell, No-one came a running, so I called the cops myself They took their time to get there, and I guess I could have run, I knew I should feel something, but I never shed tear, one. I didn’t read about it in the papers, cos I’d only killed one man, But my trial was over quickly, and the long hard road began. The court appointed lawyer couldn’t look me in the eye He just stood up and closed his briefcase as they sentenced me to die. And now my wait is over, and the final hour drags by; I ain’t about to tell you that I don’t deserve to die. There’s 27 men here, mostly brown or black or poor, And most of us are guilty, but who are you to say for sure. So when the preacher comes to get me, and they shave off all my hair, Could you take that long walk with me, knowing Hell is waiting there? Could you pull that switch yourself, sir, with a sure and steady hand? Could you still tell yourself Sir, that you’re a better man? Repeat 1st Verse. from Heavy Duty - Ballads of the Unfree, released February 1, 2018 song by Steve Earle“