The Walls of Redwing

[Verse 1] Oh, the age of the inmates I remember quite freely No younger than twelve, no older ’n seventeen Thrown in like bandits and cast off like criminals All inside the walls on the grounds of Red Wing [Verse 2] From the dirty old mess hall, you march to the brick wall Too weary to talk and too tired to sing And it’s all afternoon you remember your hometown All inside the walls, the walls of Red Wing [Verse 3] Oh, the gates are cast iron and the walls are barbed wire Stay far from the fence with the ’lectricity sting And it’s keep down your head and stay in your number All inside the grounds of the walls of Red Wing [Verse 4] 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 All inside the grounds of the walls of Red Wing [Verse 5] It’s many a guard that stands around smiling Holding his club like he was a king Hoping to get you behind the wood piling All inside the grounds of the walls of Red Wing [Verse 6] 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 a-sleeping All inside the grounds of the walls of Red Wing [Verse 7] As the rain rattled heavy on the bunkhouse shingles And the sounds of the night they made my ears ring Till the keys of the guards clicked the tune of the morning Inside the walls, the walls of Red Wing [Verse 8] Oh, some of us will end up in St. Cloud Prison And some of will go on to be lawyers and things And some of will wind up and meet you on your crossroads From inside the walls, the walls of Red Wing