I came to town to search for gold and I brought with me a memory
And I seem to hear the night wind cry
Go hang your dreams on the hanging tree your dreams of love that could never be
Hang your faded dreams on the hanging tree (the hanging tree)

I searched for gold and I found my gold and I found a girl who loved just me
And I wished that I could love her too
But I'd left my heart on the hanging tree I'd left my heart with a memory
And a faded dream on that hanging tree (the hanging tree)

Now there were men who craved my gold and meant to take my gold from me
When a man is gone he needs no gold
So they carried me to the hanging tree to join my dreams and a memory
Yes they carried me to the hanging tree (the hanging tree)

To really live you must almost die and it happened just that way with me
They took the gold and set me free
And I walked away from the hanging tree I walked away from the hanging tree
And my own true love she walked with me

That's when I knew that the hanging tree was a tree of life a new life for me
A tree of hope new hope for me a tree of love new love for me
The hanging tree the hanging tree the hanging tree