Jail House 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 surprise 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