When i was seventeen i went out on the run
what started out to be a fantasy ended up
getting me down in trouble and a-givinand' me a pile of the blues
how was i to know the fantasy can do
Me and a couple of friends of mine we were havinand' some fun
and'til we started romancing with the love of a gun
first bank that fell we felt like a king and his court too
but we ended up in the mississippi river camp fightinand' the blues
Watch those big wheels turning and got more time to do
down on the mississippi river detention camp fightinand' the blues
i sit here rolling down a river and i dream about mary sue
wish that i had her by my side livinand' in a california redwood
I remember that my dear old mama she took me aside and said son
i know youand've got a hell of a lot more pride than you can hide behind a gun
so remember when youand're out there and the law against you
that you couldand've been a hell of a lot more of a man had been true
Now i watch those big wheels turninand' and i got more time to do
down on the mississippi river detention camp and fightinand' the blues
i sit here watchinand' the river and i dream about mary sue
girl i left behind in kansas and left for the outlaw dues
I go one, two, three and never count past four
why should i do the same when i know the days are gonna just count more
i know that iand've got to pay a lot of dues
down on the mississippi river camp and fightinand' the blues
And i watch those big wheels rolling and i dream about mary sue
wish that i could go back to california redwoods
if i ever make parole iand'll tell you what iand'm gonna do
livinand' back in the forest and iand'm gonna warm myself a brew
and'cause i watch those big wheels turning and i got more time to do
down on the mississippi river detention camp and fightinand' the blues
