Life Behind Bars

He said, "What's your name, first-timer?

Everybody here just calls me Joe

Yeah, and I been here thirty-three long years

Seen a lotta faces come and go

I been a crux, been a priest

A punchin' bag, a referee

Anything you gotta be to play the part

That's just life behind bars"

'Cause crackin' jokes, crackin' beers

Knowin' who, and who ain't here

When it's last call, and the wife calls

Just say, "Naw, girl, I ain't seen him"

How to tune, cover bands

"Sweet Home Alabam'"

And all this damn secondhand, man

It's a wonder I'm still breathin'

Doin' what you gotta do to fill that jar

That's just life behind bars

He said, "That gold band in your pocket

You best put it right back on your hand

'Cause that family I seen in your wallet

Is worth more than any one-night stand

Yeah, that's why I'm here where I am"

Crackin' jokes, crackin' beers

Knowin' who, and who ain't here

When it's last call, and the wife calls

Just say, "Naw, girl, I ain't seen him"

How to tune, cover bands

"Sweet Home Alabam'"

And all this damn secondhand, man

It's a wonder I'm still breathin'

Doin' what you gotta do to fill that jar

That's just life behind bars

That's life behind bars

Yeah

Crackin' jokes, crackin' beers

Knowin' who, and who ain't here

When it's last call, and the wife calls

Just say, "Naw, girl, I ain't seen him"

How to tune, cover bands

Twenty-minute Free Bird jams

All this damn secondhand, man

It's a wonder I'm still breathin'

Doin' what you gotta do to fill that jar

Yeah, man, the first night in this joint's the hardest part

That's a life behind bars

He said, "What's your name, first-timer?

Everybody here just calls me Joe"