I Hung My Head - Sting & Johnny Cash - Song Meaning and Analysis

Explained in English

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