Paul Crump Songtext / Lyric

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Dm g

In the state of illinois 'bout nine years ago

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A cold blooded killer he went against the law

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He killed a factory guard when his robbery did fail

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And they caught him and they threw him in the jail.

He lay there in his cell locked up with his hate

Not many men knew of him and less cared for his fate.

And he knew no peace of mind when his trial was comin' by

The judge said, "you are guilty you must die."






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But paul crump is alive today

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He's a-sittin' in a cell, he's got somethin' to say

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Every man has got something to give

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And if a man can change, then a man should live.



They sent him to cook county jail, a jail known far and wide

Where pity was a stranger and brave men often cry.

They locked him in the death row to count the days before

To the day they came a knockin' at his door.

But another warden came along, jack johnson was his name;

He knew how prison living could drive a man to shame.

He had no need of pistols in a solitary cell

But a word of trust would help him just as well



But paul crump is alive today

He's a-sittin' in a cell, he's got somethin' to say

Every man has got something to give

And if a man can change, then a man should live.



Between the warden and the convict a friendship slowly grew

And one learned from the other that a man can live anew.

Then the warden called the convict, "you must leave the devil's plan

"the time has come for you to be a man."

Then the convict found religion and he started him to learn

He wrote himself a novel called _burn killer burn_.

And as his dying day grew near, to the warden he did cry

"you must pull the switch and I must die."



But paul crump is alive today

He's a-sittin' in a cell, he's got somethin' to say

Every man has got something to give

And if a man can change, then a man should live.



It was up to governor kerner to keep him from the grave

Was rehabilitation a reason to be saved?

The hour was comin' closer, the word was spread around

A new and better answer must be found.

Well the electric chair was cheated, the convict didn't pay.

A new concept of justice was born and raised that day.

Now throughout this peaceful land there are others set to die

What better time than now to question why?



But paul crump is alive today

He's a-sittin' in a cell, he's got somethin' to say

Every man has got something to give

And if a man can change, then a man should live.

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