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.