Now my head is hanging down
With these prison wall blues
The white mule made me act a pop-eyed clown
Now I've got no time to lose
When they bring you through that gate
You wish you hadn't 'a done it, but it's just too late
But you might as well laugh, good partner, when you fall
Now hollering won't get you from behind these walls.
These prison wall blues keep rollin' 'cross my mind

I can't get a pardon, looks like the governor wouldn't cut my time
I once was lost, but now I'm found
I'd have leaved this place running, but I'm scared of them flop-eared hounds
These prison wall blues keep rollin' 'cross my mind.

This is the first fence I ever saw
In my life that I can't climb
This fence will make a high yellow girl turn dark
It make a weak-eyed man go blind
When I leave these walls, I'll be running, dodging trees
See the bottom of my feet so many times, you'll think I'm on my knees
These prison wall blues keep a-rollin' 'cross my mind.