Willie Jones

Willie Jones was a man I met when I lived in Baltimore
 I was a guard and he was doing time
 In the three long years he stayed there I got to know him well
 Willie Jones he was a friend of mine
 He used to say buddy you know where I'm going when they let me out of here
 Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there
 And he talked about the southland though he'd drifted from its shores
 I never seen a man who loved it more
 He talked about the whippoorwills in the Alabama night
 Honeysuckle vine and sugar cane
 Swimming holes and fishing poles and early morning frost
 And sleeping under a tin roof when it rained
 He talked about a country road and a cabin in the pines
 And a girl with wavy long chestnut brown hair
 He talked about the beauty of his Blue Ridge Mountain home
 And darn near made me think that I was there
 He used to say buddy you know where I'm going when they let me out of here
 Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there
 When a man ain't got no freedom the time sure passes slow
 Willie Jones had ten long years to go
 It's been almost a years now since that hot night in July
 Willie hit the guard and jumped the fence
 I had my rifle ready but I couldn't let it fly
 I shot over his head and we ain't seen him since
 Then last week the postman brought a letter to my door
 Marked No Return Address and No Reply
 It just said nobody north of Birmingham is gonna see this boy again
 But if you're ever down our way won't you please drop by
 He used to say buddy you know where I'm going when they let me out of here
 Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there
 And he talked about the southland though he'd drifted from its shores
 I never seen a man who loved it more