Jeannie C. Riley Lyrics
"What Was Her Name"

What Was Her Name
Oh, what was her name she used to sit next to me in math
Had the saddest eyes I'd ever seen and like me she was only sixteen.

What was her name she was so silent and strange
Then the word leaked out and time brought about the truth
and the tragedy began
She was only sixteen and married and married to a law-breaking man
And lovin' him and trustin' him as only a young girl can.

He looked so exciting and different to the eyes of this innocent child
He said I'll marry you and carry you through a life exciting and wild
Oh what was her name I see her so well in my mind
Especially that day right after school when I saw her for the last time.

The sheriff's car was there she looked so small and alone
As they put her inside and drove out of sight I was scared
and ran all the way home
They were tryin' to make her betray him but she refused to understand
How the love of her life could be mixed up with a dirty thieving man.

So she never said a word against him and finally they set her free
When she met him that night she was surprised when he said
That's the last time you'll squeal on me
When the first bell rang the next morning she was sittin'
on the schoolhouse steps.

Leaning 'gaist the rail she looked so pale I asked a friend if she was asleep
The last bells rang and still she didn't move as we all started to class
So June went over to her sayin' come on the last bells has rang
That's when she saw the knife in her back.

Oh heck, what was her name?...