I was born in the middle of a storm bout a mile from the Natchez Trace My momma died and my sister cried, there was fourteen children to raise We was livin' in a shack by the railroad track the winters were freezing cold But I was wearin' boots, I could fight and shoot before I was ten years old My brother was down in Jackson town doin' life without parole Bad blood My daddy had a still at the top of the hill till the deputy sheriff came by Daddy met him at the door with a .44 and he shot him right between the eyes Sent him to his Maker in a shallow grave, dug it in the pouring rain Daddy said son I'm gonna have to run, I'm leavin' on the midnight train But before I go I want you to know what's flowin' in your veins Bad blood He said it's time you knew what's comin' to you like my daddy passed it on to me There ain't no escape it's like a copperhead snake crawlin' up the family tree And all the while the devil smiles feastin' on the risin' flood Bad blood I left home when I was barely grown and forgot about the family curse I met Rosalie down in New Orleans and I married her for better or worse Then late one night she got me in a fight flirtin' with another man My blood ran quick and it made me sick when he died there in my hands And deep inside I felt a crimson tide burnin' me like a brand Bad blood And I can hear my daddy's voice still ringing in my ear He said it's time you knew what's comin' to you like my daddy passed it on to me There ain't no escape it's like a copperhead snake crawlin' up the family tree And all the while the devil smiles feastin' on the risin' flood Bad blood I got bad blood flowin' in your veins and there ain't no escape it's like a copperhead snake Bad blood Sent him to his Maker in a shallow grave, dug it in the pouring rain Bad blood The devil smiles all the while 'cause he's feastin' on the risin' flood Bad blood Bad blood