It was down in a grove off Curlew Creek
Mr. Brown went out on her porch to sweep
Was the Sabbath Day, late July

The day Mrs. Brown was bound to die

Was rumor goin' round about money hid

Not many believed it but Rastus did
All he had in his hand was a Barlow knife
Yeah that's what he used to take the first two lives


They found the Browns tied to their bed
When the Crumbs drove up

The Browns were dead
Old Rastus said hello with a loaded shotgun
Never gave the Crumbs a chance to turn and run


Rastus Russell born of bad blood
Raised on misery, murder, and mud

Only good thing in this whole song
Is Rastus Russell is a dead and gone


Well Sheriff Ted Tucker saw the mob on the street
Radioed every cop on the beat
Said no warnings given no questions asked

Just find this Rastus and find him fast

The hounds led 'em down to the old causeway

Found him fishing in Dunedin Bay
Took three strong men to reel him in
And a fourth to finally put the cuffs on him


Rastus Russell born of bad blood
Raised on misery, murder, and mud

Only good thing in this whole song
Is Rastus Russell is a dead and gone


Nobody'd every broke out of that Clearwater jail
Oh but Rastus did and left a bloody trail
There were red hand prints on a stolen truck

Yeah Rastus was runnin' out of luck

Some kind won't stop at anything

He was diggin' up his mama for her diamond ring
In the graveyard there they laid him love
And that's a fittin' end to this trail of woe


Rastus Russell born of bad blood
Raised on misery, murder, and mud

Only good thing in this whole song
Is Rastus Russell is a dead and gone