| lyric | I was born and raised in Boston, a place you all know well.
Brought up by honest parents the truth to you I’ll tell.
Brought up by honest parents and raised most tenderly,
Till I became a sporting lad at the age of twenty three.
My character was taken and Iwas sent to jail
My parents thought to bail me out, but they found it all in vain;
The jury found me guilty, and the clerk he wrote it down
The judge he passed my sentence and I was sent to Charlestown.
I see my aged father and he standing by the Bar
Likewise my aged mother and she tearing out her hair
The tearing of her old grey locks
and the tears came tumbling down
Saying 'John, my son, what have you done,
that you're bound for Charlestown.
There's a girl in Boston city, boys,
a place you all know well
And if e'er I get my liberty, it's with her Iwill dwell
If e'er I get my liberty, bad company Iwill shun
The robbing of the Munster bank,
and the drinking of rum.
You lads that are at liberty, should keep it while you can
Don't roam the street by night or day,
or break the laws of man
For if you do you're sure to rue and become a lad like me
A-serving up your twenty-one years,
in the penitentiary. |