In his YouTube release of this song, Zachary tells the backstory to this song.
“So my grandpa used to bring us into this spot called "Moe’s, in a little town called Canton, Oklahoma. It’s where my whole family’s from and he used to bring us in there and we’d be sitting there eating bologna sandwiche...
[Verse 1]
Well I killed a man in Birmingham
I hit him with a tire iron
He did not move and I do not give a damn
I've been working here like a slave mule
Sucking the earth of dry crude
Looking for a way out of it all
The cops are comin'
I can feel 'em here
My back is crawlin' with standin' hair
Wouldn’t mind to see a few pigs fall
[Chorus]
So take me down to the river
My blood all on the floor
'Cause I don't know if I can carry this weight much longer anymore
Take me up the mountain
On a cloud bound for the sky
Don't go prayin' for me because tonight I'm prepared to die
[Post-Chorus]
Woah, woah, oh
Woah, woah, oh
[Verse 2]
That night out there in Birmingham that boy hе tried to rob me
I did not want to but I had to show that boy the rеal me
That night I often wonder what my tombstone will say
Would it mention any of my good or just the evil in my days?
The dust has not settled from the boys that busted in
I am not a bad man but there's bullets in my skin
[Chorus]
Take me down to the river
My blood all on the floor
'Cause I don't know if I can carry this weight much longer anymore
Take me up the mountain
On a cloud bound for the sky
Don't go prayin' for me because tonight I'm prepared to die
[Post-Chorus]
Woah, woah, oh
Woah, woah, oh
[Outro]
Well I killed a man in Birmingham that boy he tried to rob me
I did not want to but I had to show that boy the real me
Birmingham (Album Version) was written by Zach Bryan.
Birmingham (Album Version) was produced by Eddie Spear.
Zach Bryan released Birmingham (Album Version) on Fri Nov 27 2020.