New Twenty One Years

For twenty-one years, babe, the judge sentenced me
To this dirty old prison, down in Tennessee
You promised me, love, that you’d be true blue
But you didn’t say when, love, or to whom you’d be true

A year has done gone, babe, there’s twenty to go
Oh, the days get so weary and the darn nights are slow
I could have freedom if the governor said “yes”
But the governor said “heck no” and he meant it I guess

There’s bars all around, love, steel bars left and right
Steel bars every day, love, steel bars every night
Steel bars at mealtime, love; it’s a disgrace
There must be ten million steel bars in the darn lonesome place

Oh, write me a letter, send it care Nashville jail
For the next twenty years, love, is where I’ll get mail
If you were here, babe, and I was out free
Everyday I’d console you getting letters from me

Oh, you know who’s guilty and I know it, too
And they’d sure have to hang me, before I tell that it’s you
Tell me, love, tell me, does the moon still shine bright?
Are there still stars in heaven, and why don’t you write?

I hate you yet love you; my brain is on fire
Just to touch your soft skin, love, is my one desire
Wonder if someone kisses your lips each night
Maybe I’d find relief, love, if you’d only write

Take warning young fellows to this true but sad tale
Don’t believe any woman; you’ll wake up in jail
Twenty-one years, boys, is a long time to moan
Better tend your own business and leave women alone