Cisco Houston Web Site

The Songs He Sang

Cryderville Jail: Lyrics

As performed by Cisco Houston

Traditional

Appears on:
Cryderville Jail, ain't no jail at all,
The lice in that jail are chewin' the wall.

   Chorus:
   It's hard times in the Cryderville Jail,
   It's hard times, poor boy.

There's a big bull ring in the middle of the floor,
And a damned old jailer to open the door.

   Chorus:

Your pockets he'll pick, and your clothes he will sell,
Your hands he will handcuff, oh damn him to hell.

   Chorus:

Our bed it is made of old rotten rugs,
And when we lay down we are covered with bugs:

   Chorus:

The bugs they swear if we don't give bail,
We are bound to get lousy in Cryderville Jail.

   Chorus:

I wrote to my mother to send me a knife,
The lice and the chinches have threatened my life.

   Chorus:

And here's to the lawyer, he'll come to your cell,
And swear he will clear you in spite of all Hell.

   Chorus:

He'll get all of your money before he will rest,
Then he'll say, "Plead guilty, I think it the best."

   Chorus:

Old Judge Simpson will read you the law,
The damndest fool judge that you ever saw.

   Chorus:

And there sits the jury, a devil of a crew,
They'll look a poor pris'ner clean through and through.

   Chorus:

And here's to the sheriff, I like to forgot,
The darndest old rascal we have in the lot.

   Chorus:

Your privileges he will take, your clothes he will sell,
Get drunk on your money, oh damn him to hell.

   Chorus:

And now I have come to the end of my song,
I'll leave it to the boys as I go along.

   Chorus:

Yes it's hard times in the Cryderville jail,
It's hard times poor boy.

Of note:

A fine performance that sounds as if it is based on intimate knowledge. The downtrodden get an even shorter end of the stick, with the corrupt lawmen taking advantage.

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