Well, I'm goin' to a place where the tough guys go
And come out even tougher
A place where a man don't show his feelings
A place where a man don't cryWell, they say I'm being punished
And they say I can be reformed
But some day I'll return, did they really think
That this time it would work, you knew all along it wouldn'tOh, I'm prison bound
I did a crime one too many times
It's on the outskirts of town, by the railroad tracks
Where the country moon shinesOh, I'm prison bound
Tell my girl I'll be back one day
Oh, I'm prison bound
I may never know any other wayWell, they take away my freedom of expression or action
Johnny says, "I'll walk the line"
With three hots and a cot and a lot of talk
With lock-up, concrete, and steelWell, it's cold and it's clammy
Man, it's colder than a pimp's heart
But I've gotta do my time, there's a lesson to be learned here
But what a price to pay, you know, I may never learnOh, I'm prison bound
I did a crime one too many times
It's on the outskirts of town, by the railroad tracks
Where the country moon shinesOh, I'm prison bound
Tell my girl I'll be back one day
Oh, I'm prison bound
I may never know any other way