Jailhouse Blues

Now, the prison gate have opened, for me at last

Be more careful in the future, than i have been in the past

Know the life of a racketeer1, know the life of a crook

Know the life of a no-good woman, like a line from a book

Now, jailhouse got me, put down here without a friend

Well, now, i'm free at last, won't ever let them take me again

Had a girl one time, wouldn't work or steal

Broad came right out 'a mississippi cotton field

She wouldn't steal, on the verge of a doubt

But she get you busted, wouldn't get you out

Now, jailhouse got me, put down here without a friend

Well, now, i'm free at last, won't ever let them take me again

Come down to your jail, think you all rich

Not to go to your bail, see how much time you gone get

When the judge sentence you, mighty near a smile

Know you'll be gone, for a long, long while

Now, jailhouse got me, put down here without a friend

Well, now, i'm free at last, won't ever let them take me again

After you up the river, 'bout a month or more

You receive a letter from that gal you used to know

'bout three feet wide, nine page long

Whole lotta talk 'bout what's goin' on

Now, jailhouse got me, put down here without a friend

Well, now, i'm free at last, won't ever let them take me again

The letter said, "daddy, things out here have gotten mighty tight

Had to rob two guys, before i could eat last night

Meant to send you some money, but to my suprise

I'd already sealed your letter, and the gum 'a had dried"

Now, jailhouse got me, put down here without a friend

Well, now, i'm free at last, won't ever let them take me again