Released: April 22, 2016
[Verse 1]
Come all you border ratters and listen to my song
The story has been told before and i’ll not detain you long
It’s a tale of Johnnie Armstrong and the King who did betray
A man of trust and honesty, his cattle taken by the enemy
But they hung him from the gallow tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
A some called him a reaver and there are those who say
That all down through new castle, blackmail to Johnnie paid
From the tower at Gilnockie to the shadowlands below
Blowed the outlaw royalty with honour and integrity
But they hung him from the gallow tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
[Verse 2]
A plan relayed with whispers to bring poor Johnnie down
A gathering at carlon rigg, with the northern crown
Then the message was delivered, John you must come today
The king said Johnnie come to me, your safety i will guarantee
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
And with eight hundred ratters, his men they did surround
But with five and thirty he lost the upper ground
No bargain then was offered no bargain then was made
Johnnie offered whites [?] twenty three, gold, black, meal, property
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Kings don’t need competition from broken men like you
The English Queen is nervous, so your even days are through
The sentence was delivered, with death he had to pay
The rope returned his liberty, from Earthly troubles set him free
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Come all you border ratters and listen to my song
The story has been told before and i’ll not detain you long
It’s a tale of Johnnie Armstrong and the King who did betray
A man of trust and honesty, his cattle taken by the enemy
But they hung him from the gallow tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
A some called him a reaver and there are those who say
That all down through new castle, blackmail to Johnnie paid
From the tower at Gilnockie to the shadowlands below
Blowed the outlaw royalty with honour and integrity
But they hung him from the gallow tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
[Verse 2]
A plan relayed with whispers to bring poor Johnnie down
A gathering at carlon rigg, with the northern crown
Then the message was delivered, John you must come today
The king said Johnnie come to me, your safety i will guarantee
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
And with eight hundred ratters, his men they did surround
But with five and thirty he lost the upper ground
No bargain then was offered no bargain then was made
Johnnie offered whites [?] twenty three, gold, black, meal, property
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Kings don’t need competition from broken men like you
The English Queen is nervous, so your even days are through
The sentence was delivered, with death he had to pay
The rope returned his liberty, from Earthly troubles set him free
But they hung him from the gallows tree Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
Johnnie Armstrong’s gone away
more tracks from the album
From the album
Michael Martin Murphey popular songs
- Maybe This Time
- Wildfire
- Red River Valley
- What’s Forever For
- Renegade
- Little Joe, the Wrangler
- When the Work’s All Done This Fall
- Riders in the Sky
- What Am I Doing Here
- From the Word Go
- Ring of Truth
- Children of the Wild World
- Roses and Thorns
- Let the Cowboy Dance
- Geronimo’s Cadillac
- Tying Knots in the Devil’s Tail
- Harbor For My Soul
- Running Shadow
- Cowboy Logic
- Hearts in the Right Place
- Calico Silver
- The Heart Knows the Truth
- Wild Bird
- Spanish is the Lovin’ Tongue