Prison Song
Tommy Butler & Carlton Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴Cold chills, prison cells
Locked in, bars of steel
Leave my woman tonight
Just ain't feeling right
Oh my Lord, praise him be (Cold chills, prison cells)
Set your poor people free (Locked in, bars of steel)
Be merciful to our abusers (Leave my woman tonight)
Think you done lost your senses (Oh my Lord, praise him be)
What can you do when they (Set your poor people free)
Ooh, you better collect your pieces (Be merciful to our abusers)
Freedom, it waits out here (They don't know what they do)
You don't have to go to prison (Oh my Lord, praise him be)
What will it accomplish, you? (Set your poor people free)
Ku Klux Klan, they're laughing (Be merciful to our abusers)
Damning the thought of you (They don't know what they do)
Condemning you to your suffering (Oh my Lord, praise him be)
Is that what you really want? (Set your poor people free)
Prison, it's all a prison (Be merciful to our abusers)
Marking your time on walls (They don't know what they do)
Think you better change your motto (Oh my Lord, praise him be)
Wiping away the mourn (Set your poor people free)
There in the bars, let's follow (Be merciful to our abusers)
Tell me your days aren't done (They don't know what they do)
"Vengeance is mine," said the Lord
Overall Meaning
The lyrics of Prison Song by Tommy Butler and Carlton Williams speaks of a man who is locked up in prison and experiencing cold chills as he sits in his cell surrounded by bars of steel. He is feeling uneasy and wants to leave his woman tonight but knows something just isn't right. Then the song brings in a religious message with the mention of the Lord and a call to praise Him, pleading with Him to set free the poor people and show mercy to their abusers who know not what they do.
However, the song takes a turn and becomes more political as it talks about the Ku Klux Klan laughing and damning the thought of you, condemning you to your suffering. It speaks of prison not just as a physical establishment, but as a state of mind, where one is marked by the walls and the days are counted down. The song ends with the message that vengeance belongs to the Lord and calls for a change in the motto to wipe away the mourn and prevent more people from experiencing the prison life.
Overall, Prison Song is a touching and powerful song that touches on deep themes of religion, social justice, and personal struggle. The lyrics are vivid and emotional, painting a picture of the harsh realities of prison life and the need for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Cold chills, prison cells
Expressing how frightening and inescapable prison can feel
Locked in, bars of steel
Describing how the physical structure of a prison reinforces the feeling of being trapped
Leave my woman tonight
The singer is saying goodbye to his loved one before going to prison
Just ain't feeling right
The artist is expressing his unease about the situation he finds himself in
Oh my Lord, praise him be
The singer is acknowledging a higher authority and putting their trust in God
Set your poor people free
Asking God to deliver those in poverty or struggling in any way from their circumstances
Be merciful to our abusers
Asking God to show kindness even to those who have caused harm
They don't know what they do
The artist is suggesting that people who cause harm may be ignorant of the consequences of their actions
Think you done lost your senses
Implying that the choice to commit a crime and go to prison is irrational and foolish
What can you do when they
Asking a rhetorical question about how to deal with oppressive structures like the prison system
Ooh, you better collect your pieces
Urging the listener to gather their strength and prepare for the challenge ahead
Freedom, it waits out here
Holding out hope that there is a possibility of escape or release from prison
You don't have to go to prison
Suggesting that there are other options besides incarceration
What will it accomplish, you?
Questioning the effectiveness of the prison system at rehabilitating or deterring crime
Ku Klux Klan, they're laughing
Highlighting the racism and injustice often present in the criminal justice system
Damning the thought of you
Implying that others may be quick to judge and condemn those who are incarcerated
Condemning you to your suffering
Pointing out how being confined in prison is a form of punishment and suffering
Prison, it's all a prison
Expanding on the idea that there are many forms of incarceration and confinement beyond just physical bars
Marking your time on walls
Describing how those who are incarcerated often mark the passing of time in creative ways
Think you better change your motto
Encouraging the listener to reconsider their approach to life and their priorities
Wiping away the mourn
Expressing a desire to move beyond sadness and sorrow
There in the bars, let's follow
Encouraging a sense of community and solidarity among those who are incarcerated
Tell me your days aren't done
Expressing hope that there is a future beyond the confines of prison
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Tommy Z. Butler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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