It was the time of the preacher

When the story began

Of the choice of a ladyAnd the love of a man

How he loved her so dearly

He went out of his mind

When she left him for someone

She′d left behind

An' he cried like a baby

He screamed like a panther in the middle of the night

An′ he saddled his pony

An' went for a ride

It was the time of the preacher

In the year of '01

Now the preachin′ is over

And the lesson′s begun