(Spoken) Well, theyre hanging joe bean this morning for shooting a man down in arkansas. Funny thing is, joe bean's never been to arkansas. On top of that, joe bean never even heard of the man. In fact, today is joe's twentieth birthday. See through the prison bars joe bean See where the gallows stand Just twenty short years from the day you were born You died by the hangman's hand They're hanging joe bean this morning For a shooting that he never did He killed twenty men by the time he was ten He was an unruly kid Yes, theyre hanging joe bean for the one shooting That joe bean never did (Spoken) Well joe, your mother's at the capitol, asking the governer for a stay. And it's hard on her, because she knows Where you were on that particular day. You were working joe bean, hard working Robbing the santa fe Well the telegraph wires are humming Hear the governor's words come through He said I can't set you free, its not up to me, But this much joe bean, I'll do: I'll join your mother in extending birthday greetings to you Happy birthday joe bean