THE MAN THEY COULDN’T HANG

THE MAN THEY COULDN’T HANG

by

Matt McGinn

There was an old hangman in Exeter

And a fine old hangman was he

He had hanged a thousand or more

But he couldn't hang John Lee, John Lee!

He couldn't hang John Lee

Emma Keyse of Babbacombe

Was rich as rich can be

She had servants in her home

And one was Johnny Lee, John Lee!

And one was Johnny Lee

Johnny Lee was a bad, bad man

So the story said

So they threw him in the local can

When they found old Emma dead, so dead!

They found old Emma dead

The judge, he listened to the cons

Then he heard the pros

And it was clear that Johnny Lee

Had fewer friends than foes, than foes!

Fewer friends than foes

There was an old hangman in Exeter

And a fine old hangman was he

He had hanged a thousand or more

But he couldn't hang John Lee, John Lee!

He couldn't hang John Lee

The Judge picked up his old black cap

And he looked John in the eye

Said, ‘It falls on me to sentence thee

To be hanged until ye die, ye die!

Hanged until ye die’

James Berry was the hangman's name

And it filled his heart with glee

When they placed into his gentle hands

The prisoner Johnny Lee, John Lee!

The prisoner Johnny Lee

He led him to the scaffold high

And then to John, says he,

‘One last request I'll grant to you’

‘Close your trap,’ says Johnny Lee, John Lee!

‘Close your trap,’ says Johnny Lee

There was an old hangman in Exeter

And a fine old hangman was he

He had hanged a thousand or more

But he couldn't hang John Lee, John Lee!

He couldn't hang John Lee

James Berry pulled the lever down

To send John Lee below

Then he began to curse and frown

When John Lee would not go, not go!

When John Lee would not go

Again and then again he tried

Again and again he failed

Then word came down from London town

John Lee for a life in jail, in jail!

John Lee for a life in jail

There was an old hangman in Exeter

And a fine old hangman was he

He had hanged a thousand or more

But he couldn't hang John Lee, John Lee!

He couldn't hang John Lee

Twas back in 1885

They tried to hang John Lee

In 1917 he sailed

For far Americ-ee, did he!

For far Americ-ee

There he went and died in bed

In1933

Here lies the man they could not hang

And his name was Johnny Lee, John Lee!

His name was Johnny Lee

There was an old hangman in Exeter

And a fine old hangman was he

He had hanged a thousand or more

But he couldn't hang John Lee, John Lee!

He couldn't hang John Lee