Well they say as a child, Charlie’s mother would cry   His father would beat him by the shed outside   And no one would listen and no one came by   He grew to be older and swallow his pride      When he first left his home he was only sixteen   He followed his heart or he followed his dream   But it all fell apart, or it split at the seam   He grew to be older and he grew to be mean      Charlie would say it don’t matter that much   A slap on the face like a want and a touch   Sometimes that temper can act as a crutch   Better watch your step, Chuck      She was a froline, a young tourist   She was the swan who started all this   There were sailors and mad men and they were all pissed   The blood started flowing over one reckless kiss      Well, the authorities came with a howl of the hounds   They emptied their guns but they paid for their rounds   And they took poor Charlie to the center of town   Where they strung him up just to knock him back down      Charlie would say it don’t matter that much   A slap on the face like a want and a touch   Sometimes that temper can act as a crutch   Better watch your step, Chuck      Well, the judge, he was mean and he drew a deep breath   He sentenced poor Charlie to a quick hanging death   But little did he know that the rope would soon break   A sign that his life, well a court couldn’t take      Capital punishment fits like a glove   But a sentence like that only comes from above   When you’re raised as a child with a kick and a shove   It’s sad that a man has to die without love      Charlie would say it don’t matter that much   A slap on the face like a want and a touch   Sometimes that temper can act as a crutch   Better watch your step, Chuck