Attention! The following inmates, when names are called Will be transferred due to overcrowded conditions What am I doing here? I've been serving time for five long years Got no trial in sight This justice they all talk about just ain't right Has everybody forgotten about me? Will I ever, ever, ever be free? I'm just a prisoner, oh Lord Just a prisoner, just a prisoner Just a prisoner, just a prisoner Just a prisoner, just a prisoner Just a prisoner, just a prisoner I thought a man was innocent until he's proven guilty Ain't been no jury to judge me How long must I pay for the wrong I've done? I'm a victim of circumstance, you see Has everybody forgotten about me? Will I ever, will I ever see my family I'm just a prisoner, oh Lord Just a prisoner, just a prisoner I'm telling the truth My wife and my kids I know they miss me The baby, she's five years old And she don't even know Who her daddy is, no The cell is cold as hell You can never get used to the smell My bed is hard as wood I gotta fight, fight, fight to keep my manhood Seem like everybody, everbody, everybody, everybody forgotten about me? Will I ever, ever, ever be free? My cell is as cold as hell You can never get used to the smell My bed is hard as wood I gotta fight, fight, fight to keep my manhood Just a prisoner, Lord, just a prisoner, just a prisoner Got to fight to keep my manhood Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord Somebody hear me Won't somebody help me Why won't they take these chains off me The cell is cold and the bed is hard as a rock With electric locks that stays locked-up I need my woman, need my woman, need my woman Need her, need her, need her Got to fight to keep my manhood, Lord I been incarcerated for five long years You hear me, you hear me? I've been incarcerated for five long year Waiting for my trail Where is the judge And the jury, Lord Took my name and gave me a number And now they talkin' 'bout, they talkin' 'bout They talkin' 'bout it's, it's overcrowded And they might have to transfer me I'm from 25th [?] and I know what I'm talkin' about A whole lot of prisoners, a whole lot of prisoners And everybody, I want the world to hear me And I want the Lord to listen to me If I open my mouth, if I open my mouth I'll be in solitary confinement, yeah Eating bread and water, bread, bread and water Talk too much, you talk too much The brothers in the prison gonna kill me Yell back, yell back, the guards in the prison gonna kill me Oh, they got guns, .45's, machine-guns, and heavy artillery Makin' license plates for cars and writing to lawyers