You say I'm an evil man,
For stealin' from a passenger train,
But have mercy on this ol' boy,
I sweat that I can explain.
I took the diamond, from the safe of your soul,
I dug deep and wide and put it down in a hole,
I put it down there so nobody would know,
That I tried to turn back but I couldn't let go.
Times were hard, they brought me down,
At least I can say that I tried,
Well I aint that bad, well I aint that good,
I just did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
Though it wasn't long ago,
You said I would do what I done,
That I'd bear the pain of the passenger train,
And live my life on the run.
I tried to hide from the things in my mind,
The night time was cold but the darkness was kind,
As I went down, and laid on my side,
I closed my eyes and I dreamed that I died,
Times were hard, they brought me down,
At least I can say that I tried,
Well I aint that bad, well I aint that good,
I just did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
though it was in infamy,
I had my fortune and fame,
After I robbed the passenger train,
Nothin' was ever the same,
My pockets were lined with the silver and gold,
But the weight got heavy and I started to fold,
I went to the steps of the ol' town hall,
I said here's all my money, you can have it all,
Chorus
Times were hard, they brought me down,
At least I can say that I tried,
Well I aint that bad, well I aint that good,
I just did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did, I did what I did, I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by. (You know I tried)
I did what I did to get by. (Yeah I did)
I did what I did to get by.
I did what I did to get by.