I did all I could baby, satisfy mind, Well I wake up every you got me moaning and crying. Trying to send me to the gang, back to the murderers' home I'd have been in a better shape mama, if I'd let that reckless alone.
Now I'm gonna have to you my number, 4-11-44, I'll be forever, I ain't got no wheres else to go. Cause I've got to go to the chain gang, back to the home I'd been in a better shape mama, if I'd let that reckless woman alone.
He was a mean old judge, wouldn't me no fine, Only going to relieve me is old Father Time, I got to go to the chain gang, to the murderers' home I would have in a better shape mama, if I'd have let that reckless woman alone.
When I was down in the alley mama drinking that old booze and gin, Say you better do your running around cause you never going to do it again 'Cause it leads me to the chain gang, down to the murderers' home, I'd have been in a better shape mama, if I'd have let that reckless alone.
Goodbye everybody comes the jailer with a key, to freedom I don't want no one to pity me, I'm going to the gang, down to the murderers' home, I'd have been in a better mama, if I'd have let that reckless woman alone.
So now bye-bye all you womens this is the I've got to say Say I'm going on and make my time I'll be a man some day, But I ain't going back to the gang, back to the murderers' home, I'd have been in a better shape baby, if I'd have let that woman alone.