“Prison Song” is about the inequities of the justice system. Per Graham, the first verse is about his father, who:
went to jail for a bullshit reason way back in England. He bought a camera from a friend of his at work and used it for amateur photography to take zoo shots – giraffes and all that. T...
[Verse 1]
One day a friend took me aside
And said I have to leave you
For buying something from a friend
They say I've done wrong
For protecting the name of a man
They say I'll have to leave you
So now I'm bidding you farewell
For much too long
[Chorus]
And here's a song to sing
For every man inside
If he can hear you sing
It's an open door
There's not a rich man there
Who couldn't pay his way
And buy the freedom that's a high price
For the poor
[Post-Chorus]
Kids in Texas
Smoking grass
Ten year sentence
Comes to pass
Misdemeanor
In Ann Arbor
Ask the judges
Why?
[Verse 2]
Another friend said to her kids
I'm gonna have to leave you
For selling something to the man
I guess I did wrong
And although I did the best I could
I'm gonna have to leave you
So now I'm kissing you farewell
For much too long
[Chorus]
And here's a song to sing
For every man inside
If he can hear you sing
It's an open door
There's not a rich man there
Who couldn't pay his way
And buy the freedom that's a high price
For the poor
Prison Song was written by Graham Nash.
Prison Song was produced by Graham Nash.
Graham Nash released Prison Song on Wed Jan 02 1974.