Oxford Tragedy (traditional Version) Lyrics - Nick Cave & The Bad Seed

Once there was a little tailor boy 

About sixteen years of age; 

My father hired me to a miller 

That I might learn the trade. 

I fell in love with a Knoxville girl, 

Her name was Flora Dean. 

Her rosy cheeks, her curly hair, 

I really did admire. 

Her father he persuaded me 

To take Flora for a wife; 

The devil he persuaded me 

To take Flora's life. 

Up stepped her mother so bold and gay, 

So boldly she did stand; 

Johnny dear, go marry her 

And take her off my hands. 

I went unto her father's house 

About nine o'clock at night, 

A-asking her to take a walk 

To do some prively talk. 

We had not got so very far 

Till looking around and around, 

He stooping down picked up a stick 

And knocks little Flora down. 

She fell upon her bended knees, 

For mercy she did cry: 

O Johnny dear, don't murder me, 

For I'm not fit to die. 

I took her by her lily-white hands 

A-slung her around and around; 

I drug her off to the river-side, 

And plunged her in to drown. 

I returned back to my miller's house 

About nine o'clock at night, 

But little did my miller know 

What I had been about. 

The miller turned around and about, 

Said:" Johnny, what blooded your clothes?" 

Me being so apt to take a hint: 

By bleeding at the nose. 

About nine or ten days after that, 

Little Flora she was found 

A-floating down by her father's house 

Who lived in Knoxville town.