Ramblin' Jack Elliott - Walls Of Red Wing lyrics

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.