[Verse 1]
15 years on the county line
'Nough to make a man nearly lose his mind
Down in Arlington, Virginia where the lawmakers stay
A ball and chain never felt so real
Walls of stone, 50 bars of steel
When the warden gives me pardon, darlin', I'll be comin' home your way

[Chorus]
And I wish you could have seen it when the Good Lord spun me 'round
I shoulda known better than to think they could keep a good man down
So please don't you worry
Please don't you ever come see me

[Verse 2]
Leavin' out of Texas for that eastern sunlight
And now, I was in a bad way, Lord, but not to my surprise
Judge in a cornfield tryin' a man
Said, "Let him hang in the white desert sand"
When the warden gives me pardon, darlin', I'll be coming home your way

[Chorus]
And I wish you could have seen it when the Good Lord spun me 'round
I shoulda known better than to think they could keep a good man down
So please don't you worry (No)
Please don't you ever come see me
[Bridge]
15 years on the county line
'Nough to make a man nearly lose his mind
Down in Arlington, Virginia where the lawmakers stay (Huh!)
Ball and chain never felt so real
Walls of stone, 50 bars of steel
When the warden gives me pardon, darlin', I'll be coming home your way

[Chorus]
And I wish you could have seen it when the Good Lord spun me 'round
I shoulda known better than to think they could keep a good man down
So please don't you worry
Please don't you ever come see me