way down in the shallow south in the shallow south of tenessee where the leaves hang on through the late autumn to the dying branch of the yellow tree we had too much fun, we knew it was wrong but we couldn't help it, they were playing our song and we were all dancing the whole night long when we heard somebody killed king where the races can't bring themselves to admit that they long ago have already mixed in the darkness of the old dance hall i swear i've seen it all i saw a black girl dancing with a white boy i saw a mexican kissing an iroquois i saw an innocence that i mistook for joy did you hear somebody killed king? mary, you're looking mighty nervous is it true what they say about your man they say he's gone off to join the service he's gonna' fight for freedom in a foreign land we knew the sin of integration run wild we committed the crime, but we missed the trial and we were all dancing the tennessee style when we heard somebody killed king hey man, haven't you heard the news you better get on stage, you better play some blues we all got this trouble, we've been dying to lose did you hear somebody killed king? because i heard somebody killed king