They Captured the Outlaw Last Night

(Tom T. Hall)



They captured the outlaw last night

He came out of the darkness and stood in the light

He was saint he was sober and he vowed to do right

They captured the outlaw last night.



He smiled as they threw him in jail

Along with the hundreds of others who failed

The only one left who believed he was right

They captured the outlaw last night.



They never explained what went wrong

The man who would not sell his soul for a song

Came in with that trophy so shiny and bright

They captured the outlaw last night.



He smiled as they threw him in jail

Along with the hundreds of others who failed

The only one left who believed he was right

They captured the outlaw last night.



He looked like the outlaw we knew

Shaggy old hair and scrubby old boots

But his dream disappeared in society's light

They captured the outlaw last night.



He smiled as they threw him in jail

Along with the hundreds of others who failed

The only one left who believed he was right

They captured the outlaw last night.



Why he more or less turned himself in

Have found some Coke and a bottle of gin

But he died on TV so I guess it's all right

They captured the outlaw last night...