Lyrics:
First verse
Passing by the jail this morn Heard a hard luck brother moan, ""I'm in here, Right where I don't belong, Never done no wrong."" As I passed by his window, I could hear him moaning his song:
Chorus
Sittin' on the inside, Lookin' at the outside, Waitin' for the ev'nin' mail Four walls and a ceilin', Lawdy what a feelin', Just a mean old low down jail; Separatin' me from ev'rything but the ev'nin' mail, I'm like a ship without a sail. Wrote my one time mamma, Down in Jacksonville Said, ""Sweet mamma, I'm in jail, Honey, please don't fail me, Hurry up and mail me, bail,"" That's just a year ago, And I'm still on the inside, Lookin' at the outside, Waitin' for the ev'nin' mail. Sittin' on the inside, Lookin' at the outside, Waitin' for the ev'nin' mail Four walls and a ceilin', Lawdy what a feelin', Just a mean old low down jail; Separatin' me from ev'rything but the ev'nin' mail, I'm like a ship without a sail. Wrote my one time mamma, Down in Jacksonville Said, “Sweet mamma, I’m in jail, Honey, please don’t fail me, Hurry up and mail me, bail,” That’s just a year ago, And I’m still on the inside, Lookin’ at the outside, Waitin’ for the ev’nin’ mail. Sittin’ on the inside, Lookin’ at the outside, Waitin’ for the ev’nin’ mail Four walls and a ceilin’, Lawdy what a feelin’, Just a mean old low down jail; Separatin’ me from ev’rything but the ev’nin’ mail, I’m like a ship without a sail. Wrote my one time mamma, Down in Jacksonville Said, “Sweet mamma, I’m in jail, Honey, please don’t fail me, Hurry up and mail me, bail,” That’s just a year ago, And I’m still on the inside, Lookin’ at the outside, Waitin’ for the ev’nin’ mail.
Patter
- Had a letter handed to me, yesterday, From a mamma that I met on Mobile Bay, She said “honey won’t you please send me down some bail, They caught me foolin’ with the ev’nin’ mail.” Had another letter from a man named Stout, Saying he was gonna get me, when I get out, Said that he was gonna meet me right at the gate, But he don’t know how long he has to wait.
Second verse
Just as I passed by his way I could hear this brother say, “Looks like I am in this jug to stay, ‘Till a later day, My trial is called for Tuesday, On the twenty seventh of May.”
(Chorus)
(Patter)