At Folsom Prison lyrics

John Henry's Papy woke him up one midnight

He said before the serrif comes i wanna tell you, listen boy,

said learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too, and take my hammer, it'll do anything you tell it to

John Hery's mammie had about a dozen babies, John Henry's papie told tale about a dozen times

Ten years ago on a cold dark night,

there was someone killed beneath the town hall lights.

There were people at the scene and they all agreed,

that the slayer who ran looked a lot like me.
Chorous ~ She walks these hills, in a long black veil.

When the cold winds blow, and the night winds wail.

Nobody knows, no body sees.

Nobody knows, but me.

My bills are all due and the babies need shoes,

But I'm Busted

Cotton's gone down to a quarter a pound

And I'm Busted

I got a cow that's gone dry

And a hen that won't lay

A big stack of bills

Getting bigger each day

The county's gonna haul my belongings away,

But I'm Busted

So I called on my brother to ask for a loan

'Cause I was Busted

Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds

I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

I went right home and I went to bed I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun took a shot of cocaine and away I run

Made a good run but I run too slow they overtook me down in Juarez Mexico

Inside the walls of prison my body may be,

but my Lord has set my soul free.

There's a grey stone chapel here at Folsom,
a house of worship in this den of sin.

You wouldn't think that God had a place here at Folsom,

but he saved the soul of many lost men.

Now this grey stone chapel here at Folsom,

stands a hundred years old made of granite rock.

Last time we were here at Folsom Prison, they were hanging Joe Bean. Is Joe still here...Joe Bean? Hang the son of a bitch anyways, right?

Well, they're hanging Joe Bean this morning, for killing a man in Arkansas. Funny thing about it, Joe Bean has never been to Arkansas. On top of that, Joe Bean never heard of the man. In fact, today is Joe Bean's twentieth birthday.

After seven years behind these bars together
I'll miss you more than a brother when you go when you go
If only I had not tried to escape
They'd barred me with you I know yes I know

Won't you tell the folks back home I'll soon be coming
And don't let them know I never will be free be free
Sometimes write and tell me how they're doing
And send a picture of mother back to me

There's A lot of strange men, in cell block ten

But the strangest of em' all

Was a friend of mine who speant his time

Starin' at the wall..
Starin' at the wall..

As He looked at the wall

So strong and tall

You could hear him softley curse

Nobody at all ever climbed that wall

But I'm gonna be the first..

I'm gonna be the first..

I hear the train a comin´
it´s rolling round the bend
and I ain´t seen the sunshine since I don´t know when,
I´m stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin´ on
but that train keeps a rollin´ on down to San Anton..
When I was just a baby my mama told me. Son,
always be a good boy, don´t ever play with guns.
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die

At my door the leaves are falling

A cold wild wind has come

Sweethearts walk by together

And I still miss someone

I go out on a party

And look for a little fun

But I find a darkened corner

because I still miss someone

Oh, no I never got over those blues eyes

I see them every where

I miss those arms that held me

When all the love was there

I wonder if she's sorry

Well they're building a gallows outside my cell I've got 25 minutes to go

And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell I've got 24 minutes to go

Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I've got 23 minutes to go

But nobody asked me how I feel I've got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go

Well he's not very handsome to look at

Oh he's shaggy and he eats like a hog

And he's always killin' my chickens

That dirty old egg-suckin' dog

Egg-suckin' dog

I'm gonna stomp your head in the ground

If you don't stay out of my hen house

You dirty old egg-suckin' hound

Now if he don't stop eatin' my eggs up

Though I'm not a real bad guy

We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,

We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.

I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around,

Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson,
Look out Jackson town.

Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health.

Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a big fool of yourself,

Look a-yonder comin'

Comin' down that railroad track

Hey, look a-yonder comin'

Comin' down that railroad track
It's the Orange Blossom Special

Bringin' my baby back

Well, I'm going down to Florida

And get some sand in my shoes

Or maybe Californy

And get some sand in my shoes

I'll ride that Orange Blossom Special

And lose these New York blues

On A Monday I Was Ar-rested (Uh Huh)
On A Tuesday They Locked Me In The Jail (Oh Boy)
On A Wednesday My Trial Was At-tested
On A Thursday They Said Guilty And The Judge's Gavel Fell

I Got Stripes --- Stripes Around My Shoulders
I Got Chains --- Chains Around My Feet
I Got Stripes --- Stripes Around My Shoulders
And Them Chains --- Them Chains They're About To Drag Me Down

The old home town looks the same,

As I step down from the train,

And there to meet me is my mama and my papa.

Down the road I look, and there comes Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

The old house is still standing,

Though the paint is cracked and dry,

And there's the old oak tree that I used to play on.

i found him by the railroad track this mornin'
i could see that he was nearly dead
i nelt down beside him, and i listened
just to hear the words the dyin' fella said
he said they let me outa prison, out in frisco
for ten long years i paid for what i done
i was tryin to get back to lousiana
to see my rose, and get to know my son

give my love to rose, please wont ya mister?

From the backdoor of your life you swept me out dear
In the bread line of your dreams I lost my place
At the table of your love I got the brush off
At the Indianapolis of your heart I lost the race

I've been washed down the sink of your conscience
In the theater of your love I lost my part
And now you say you've got me out of your conscience