IN CUMBERLAND KENTUCKY ON A COOL autumn EVENING
BILLY LAY IN LOVE WITH MARRIANNE
SHE WAS A RICH JUDGE'S DAUGHTER, HE WAS the SON OF A MINER
BUT THAT NIGHT THEIR LOVE WAS MORE THAN THEY COULD STAND
THE JUDGE SAID TO HIS DAUGHTER, THAT SON OF THAT COAL MINER
IS SOMEONE YOU'D DO WELL TO LEAVE ALONE
SHE KNEW HER DAD SO WELL, SHE KNEW SHE COULDN'T TELL
BUT THE TRUTH WAS BOUND TO SHOW BEFORE TOO LONG
THEIR LOVE HAD STARTED GROWING ON ITS OWN
YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
BILLY PLACED HIS HAND ON MARY AND HE FELT THE BABY MOVING
KISSED HER AND SAID I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I CAN
THE JUDGE HAD MADE A PROMISE WHEN HE CAUGHT UP WITH BILLY
HE'D SEND HIM FAR AWAY FROM MARIANNE
THE WHOLE TOWN KNEW HE'D DO IT TOO MANY TIMES HE'D PROVED IT
TO AT LEAST A HUNDRED MEN BEHIND THE WALL
HE'D SMILE BEHIND THAT FROWN AND WHEN HE BROUGHT THAT GAVEL DOWN
HE'D CALL HIMSELF THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
AND HE'D SET HIS MIND ON SEEING BILLY FALL
IN A HOT HUMID MINE SHACK A MID-WIFE PULLED THE SHEET BACK
AND PLACED A COOL DAMP TOWEL ON MARIANNE
BILLY'S EYES WERE WIDE WITH WONDER FROM THE SPELL HE WAS UNDER
WHEN SHE PLACED THE NEW BORN BABY IN HIS HANDS
HE DIDN'T HEAR THE SIREN, JUST THE BABY CRYING
THAT MIRACLE OF LOVE WAS ALL HE SAW
WHEN THE DOOR CAME CRASHING DOWN AND BILLY TURNED AROUND
HE FELT THE HEART AND SOUL INSIDE HIM FALL
HE STOOD FACE TO FACE WITH THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
YOU CAN HIDE OUT FOR A WHILE, HE SAYS WITH A SMILE
BUT YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY DOWN IN CUMBERLAND KENTUCKY
CAME OUT THAT DAY TO SEE POOR BILLY'S TRIAL
THE COURT WAS CALLED TO ORDER, THERE SAT THE JUDGE'S DAUGHTER
SHE LOOKED SO PROUD, HOLDING BILLY'S CHILD
WHEN THEY BROUGHT BILLY TO HIM, THE JUDGE JUST LOOK RIGHT THROUGH HIM
AS HE HELD THAT HOLY BIBLE IN HIS HAND AND HE SMILED AT HIS GRANDSON
THEN HIS EYES CUT BACK TO BILLY
AND SAID I THINK THIS TIME THE LAW WILL UNDERSTAND
SON, I SENTENCE YOU TO LIFE WITH MARIANNE
YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
NO, YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
HE SAID TO BILLY WITH A SMILE, I KNOW YOU HID OUT FOR A WHILE
AH BUT YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW
NO YOU CAN'T OUT RUN THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW