Letter to Madeline

Verse
Looked like a hundred guns, held on me
Hunkered by the shed, a Detroit general and company,
A callin' boy come out, we have you jailed
Beside the buck shot door, I stood still,
Wondering how the hell the bastards found me
In those hills and clinging to a letter that I wished I'd mailed
Chorus
Oh rest easy Madeline, I'm bringing down the bank
Across this flooded county line
And when I get home we'll have a grand old time
But don't you shed no tears, or be surprised
If you get the word, that your wild man's up and died
Just set me up a stone on that high hillside
Verse
Now in the pouring snow, sad but swift
I headed down the highway
Hopin' that the burden of my blues would lift
And prayin' that whiskey would keep me brave
But I got caught in the cold
Looking like a hobo without no mercy from the road
And feeling like a dead man without a grave
Chorus
Oh rest easy Madeline, I'm bringing down the bank
Across this flooded county line
And when I get home we'll have a grand old time
But don't you shed no tears, or be surprised
If you get the word, that your wild man's up and died
Just set me up a stone on that high hillside
Oh my, oh my
Verse
Well bloodied up and chained
My legs pinned down
I woke to find my fate in the hands of four men
Gathered around, cursing for the bag they knew I'd hid
And the more they stomped and moaned, the more I prayed
Feelin' every spark flyin' off of that file and their rusted blade
Said better think it through this is your last chance kid
Chorus
Oh rest easy Madeline, I'm bringing down the bank
Across this flooded county line
And when I get home we'll have a grand old time
But don't you shed no tears, or be surprised
If you get the word, that your wild man's up and died
Just set me up a stone on that high hillside