Songtext Smackwater jack Buffy Sainte-Marie

Smackwater jack

Smackwater Jack, he bought a shotgun
'Cause he was in the mood for a little confrontation
He didn't think about the noose
He just let it all hang loose
He couldn't take no more abuse so he shot down the congregation
You can't talk to a man with a shotgun in his hand
With a shotgun in his hand

Now Big Jim the chief stood for law and order
He called for the men to surround the border
And from his bulldog mouth
As the pose headed south
Came a cry, "we got the right to clean up the streets for our wives and our daughters"
You can't talk to a man when he don't wanna understand
And he don't wanna understand

The account of the capture wasn't in the papers
But you know they hung old Smack right then and there instead of later
And the people were quite pleased
That the outlaw had been seized
And on the whole it was a very good year for the undertaker
You can't talk to a man when he don't wanna understand
When he don't wanna understand