I ASKED MY LOVE TO TAKE A WALK,
TO TAKE A WALK, JUST A LITTLE WALK,
DOWN BESIDE WHERE THE WATERS FLOW,
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE OLD OHIO

AND ONLY SAY THAT YOU`LL BE MINE
IN NO OTHERS ARMS ENTWINE,
DOWN BESIDE WHERE THE WATERS FLOW,
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE OLD OHIO

I HELD A KNIFE AGAINST HER BREST
AS INO MY ARMS SHE PRESSED,
SHE CRIED, "OH, WILLIE, DON`T MURDER ME,
I`M NOT PREPEARED FOR ETERNITY"

AND ONLY SAY THAT YOU`LL BE MINE
IN NO OTHERS ARMS ENTWINE
DOWN BESIDE WHERE THE WATERS FLOW
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE OLD OHIO

I STARTED HOME `TWEEN TWELVE AND ONE,
I CRIED, "MY GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?
KILLED THE ONLY WOMAN I LOVED,
BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT BE MY BRIDE"

AND ONLY SAY THAT YOU`LL BE MINE
IN NO OTHERS ARMS ENTWINE,
DOWN BESIDE WHERE THE WATERS FLOW,
DOWN BY THE BANKS OF THE OLD OHIO