Free interactive transcript, lyrics and music at: https://explainedinenglish.com/podcast/hunghead.html

Let's Improve your English with this special dual episode featuring an explanation of the song "I Hung My Head" by Sting and covered by Johnny Cash.

Lyrics Difficulty: Intermediate

INTRODUCTION:

(00:22 ) Introduction to "I Hung My Head"

VERSE ONE:

(02:20 ) Early one morning with time to kill

(03:01 ) I borrowed Jeb's rifle and sat on the hill

(04:21 ) I saw a lone rider crossing the plain

(04:56 ) I drew a bead on him to practice my aim

(05:26 ) My brother's rifle went off in my hand

(05:59 ) A shot rang out across the land

(06:24 ) The horse he kept running, the rider was dead

(06:54 ) I hung my head, I hung my head

VERSE TWO:

(07:37 ) I set off running to wake from the dream

(08:18 ) And my brother's rifle went into the stream

(08:41 ) I kept on running into the salt lands

(09:14 ) And that's where they found me, my head in my hands

(09:52 ) The sheriff he asked me, "Why had I run?"

(10:16 ) Then it came to me just what I had done

(10:48 ) And all for no reason, just one piece of lead (I hung my head, I hung my head)

VERSE THREE:

(11:34 ) Here in the courthouse, the whole town is there

(12:28 ) I see the judge high up in his chair

(13:15 ) "Explain to the courtroom what went through your mind

(13:52 ) And we'll ask the jury what verdict they find"

(14:45 ) "I said I felt the power of death over life

(15:04 ) I orphaned his children, I widowed his wife

(15:43 ) I beg their forgiveness, I wish I was dead" (I hung my head, I hung my head)

VERSE FOUR:

(16:40 ) Early one morning with time to kill

(16:48 ) I see the gallows up on the hill

(17:35 ) And out in the distance a trick of the brain

(17:59 ) I see a lone rider crossing the plain

(18:19 ) He's come to fetch me to see what they done

(18:53 ) We'll ride together till Kingdom come

(19:31 ) I pray for God's mercy, for soon I'll be dead (I hung my head, I hung my head)

INTERPRETATION:

(20:12 ) "I Hung My Head" song explanation

(21:18 ) Is the Sting or the Johnny Cash version better? Vote and leave a comment at facebook.com/explainedinenglish

(22:02 ) More narrative songs available at: https://explainedinenglish.com/podcast.html

LINKS:

Find unreleased song explanations and search by grammar at:

https://explainedinenglish.com/podcast.html

Image Credit: By Sting_by_Yancho_Sabev.jpg: Yancho Sabevderivative work: Fiorellino (talk) - Sting_by_Yancho_Sabev.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped from the original version at https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10723467