“Soul of a Convict and other great prison Songs”   Porter Wagoner   RCA Victor   1966.   Living in Stereo has this nice post about Porter funeral service.

Listen and sing along:

(Will he take the soul of a convict could I be one of those he choosed)

I was taught the Bible from childhood at my mother’s knee I learned to pray

I was taught of God and all his goodness and the devil and his evil ways

There’s good in the bad and bad in the good and there’s none that’s free from sin

But there’s some questions I’ve wondered about

What happens to the men who die in the pen

Just imagine yourself the judge God Almighty as you gaze over all these men

When death takes its toll what becomes of the soul of the men who die in the pen

Do you think of God that’s true and just could look from his heavenly throne

And be pleased to see men placed in chains and stripes

And tucked from their loved ones at home

Worked until they’re completely exhuasted and your soul cries out in vain

Fed like a hog and treated like a dog and at night to the bed you’re chained

Worked from sunup to sundown through all kinds of weather

And if you don’t do the things just right you get introduced to the leather

Now you see it’s not the pain I mind so much as I’m stretched out on the floor

It’s just the thought that I can’t do my part that’s what breaks my heart

You see I’m just not man enough anymore

Oh there are a lotta other things I could tell you that you’d marvel at and say

Why I didn’t know in those modern times they treated men that way but they do

That’s why I ask you do you think that God could turn with a sneer and frown

At the men who die in the pen do you think he’ll turn us down

I believe there’s a heaven and a hell and in God I put my trust

That’s why I’m askin’ these questions I believe he’s true and just

And I just imagine he’ll tell me as we meet at the golden stairs

Hell’s not just meant for some of the men who die in the pen

But for some who have mistreated them there

You see we’re payin’ for the mistakes we made in our sins

As we’ve had our troubles in life

Because we’re the underdogs of humanity and surely God won’t make us pay twice

I believe on that Day of Judgement he’ll have this convict called in

And he’ll say it’s true hell’s not for you you had your hell in the pen

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