Knoxville Courthouse Blues

Intro:

A   G   D    A   G   D

    A                        G
I'm sittin' in the Knoxville Courthouse
  D                    A
I ain't got a thing to do
  A                     G
I don't wanna go to the movies
  D                    A
I couldn't if I wanted to
       G    D           A
I'm on trial for lovin' you

Now this all started in a honky tonk
Just the other side of town
A girl comes in, takes a stool by me
Orders gin and drinks it down
She lit up a cigarette, sexy lady turned around

Well she says my name is Janie
And asked me what was mine
I answered Hank as I walked to the jukebox
And dropped in a dime
I checked out her short dress and low neckline

Well we danced for 5 or 10 minutes
And I held her close to me
I kissed her lips and I squeezed her hips
And I judged her about 23
She whispered in my ear, I said Yessiree

Now the scene is a little motel
Out on the state highway
There in room 12 a little love is about to take place
When the state trooper breaks down the door
Shines a flashlight in my face

Change Key to B
  B                     A        E                         B
I said what the hell is this as another man and woman come in
        B                    A                        E                B
And the girl I'm with starts cryin' and screamin' and she runs over to them
         A                E                         B
She says thank god you're here, he tried to hurt me momma
           A
I said now you don't mean
    E                        B
The cop said son the girl is 17

So that's why I'm in the Knoxville Courthouse
And the judge passed a sentence on me
And it's 10 long years for statutory rape
In the state penenitiary
Lord I can't believe this has happened to me


So the next time you give a girl the eye and
She gives you that certain little smile
Just remember under that woman's breast
Might beat the heart of a child
So let yourself be warned to help a mixed up kid go wild
This story happens a lot, it's true
But you better hope I don't happen to you