When my man told me when they took me away
That he would come to see me every Christmas Day
Now Christmas is over and he's lockin' the gate
Oh, Mr. Captain, please wait, t'ain't late
No use waitin', watchin', hopin' for a man you know's forgettin'
And ain't willin' to wait
There's too many women for a man to wait
Mornin', is you still dawnin' that clean young Day?
River, river, is you still talkin' where my tear done lay?
Stars, is you still shinin' when evenin' falls
While my heart is burning
Deep in these lonesome walls?
Lonesome walls, lonesome walls
Deep in these lonesome walls
One of these mornings if I'm livin' that long
I'm gonna rise up singin' such a goodbye song
The walls'll fly open, the sky and the see
Oh, Mr. Jailer, can it be I'm free?
Then I'll travel, always singing to my home when tomorrow is a-waitin' for me
'Cause there's a tomorrow that's waitin' for me
Lonesome walls, lonesome walls...
At last I'm leavin' these here lonesome walls
