[Verse 1]
Nobody knows about the jailhouse blues
Till you get within four walls
The old jailer man turns those big black keys
That's when your spirit falls
You drag yourself up to the bars
And while you gaze out at the stars
This is what you'll say

[Chorus]
Hey, why did I stray from the righteous path?
Nobody knows but me
There on the outside, you all can laugh
But I don't need your sympathy
For after I've paid for the liquor I stole
I'll leave this place worth my weight in gold
So why did I stray from the righteous path?
Nobody knows but me

[Verse 2]
When you realize that you're all alone
Seated in a two-by-four
That little cell is just a taste of hell
If you ain't been there before
Well you're locked up tight, but they treat you fair
You get everything that you need in there
That's just why you'll say
[Chorus]
Well, why did I stray from the righteous path?
Nobody knows but me
There on the outside, you all can laugh
But I don't need your sympathy
For after I've paid for the liquor I stole
I'll leave this place worth my weight in gold
So why did I stray from the righteous path?
Nobody knows but me