Town of Expert- Bob Carter (US) c.1975 Mudcat
[My title. From Mudcat Discussion Forum posted by Slag: May 6, 2009. His comment follows.
R. Matteson 2016]
I found this among my late father's papers. I'm sure he wrote it from memory in his early 80's. This song appears to have had a profound effect on its listeners as so many variations are in existence. As recalled by Bob Carter:
Town of Expert
Twas in the town of Expert
In the merry month of May
There I met a lovely young maid
And we planned our wedding day.
I asked her to take a walk with me
Along a narrow way
To have a lovely chatter
And while the hours away.
We walked and talked along the way
Til we came to level ground
It was there I picked up an expert stick
And knocked the fair maid down.
She fell upon her bended knees,
Saying "Lord, have mercy on me
Oh Willie dear, don't murder me here,
For I'm not prepared to die."
I never said a word to her
But beat her o're and o're
Till the ground all around
Was all in a bloody gore.
Then I picked her up by her long yellow hair
And swung her round and round
Then I dragged her down to a little stream
That flowed through Expert Town.
It must have been three weeks or more
Until her body was found
It was found a floating in that little stream
That flowed through Expert Town
They took me on suspicion
And threw me in the county Jail
No one to go my bondage
No one to go my bail.
Her brother swore my life away
Without a tear or doubt.
He swore that I was the very young lad
Who had taken his sister out.
The Judge he found me guilty
Twas murder in the first degree
And now they're a taking my life away
At this penitentiary.