"Walls Of Red Wing" lyrics - RAMBLIN' JACK ELLIOTT

Oh, the age of the inmates I remember quite freely
No younger than twelve, no older 'n seventeen
Thrown in like bandits, cast off like criminals
Inside the grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

From the dirty old mess hall you marched to that brick wall
Too weary to talk and too tired to sing
Oh, it's all afternoon you remember your home town
Inside the grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

Oh, the gates are cast iron and the walls are barbed wire
Stay far from the fence with the electricity sting
And it's keep down your head and stay in your number
On the inside grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

Oh, it's fare-thee-well to the deep hollow dungeon
Farewell to the boardwalk that takes you to the screen
And farewell to the minutes, they threaten you with it
Inside the grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

It's many a guard that stands around smilin'
Holdin' his club like he was a king
Hopin' to get ya behind a wood pilin'
Inside the grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

The night aimed shadows through the crossbar windows
And the wind punched hard to make the wall-siding sing
It's many a night I pretended to be sleepin'
On the inside grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

As the rain rattled heavy on the bunk-house shingles
And the sounds in the night, that made my ears ring
'Til the keys of the guards clicked the tune of the morning
On the inside grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing

Oh, some of us'll end up in St. Cloud Prison
And some of us'll wind up to be lawyers and things
And some of us'll stand up to meet you on your crossroads
From inside the grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing
From the inside grounds, 'round the walls of Red Wing.