A
“I’m not in your town to stay,”
A
said a lady old and gray
E A
to the warden of the penitentiary
A
“I’m not in your town to stay
A
And I’ll soon be on my way
E A
I’m just here to get my baby out of jail
D E A
Oh warden, I’m just here to get my baby out of jail”

A
“I tried to raise my baby right
A
I have prayed both day and night
E A
That he wouldn’t follow footsteps of his dad
A
I have searched both far and wide
A
And I feared that he had died
E A
But at last I’ve found my baby here in jail
D E A
Oh warden, at last I’ve found my baby here in jail”

A

A
“It was just five years today
A
When his daddy passed away
E A
He was found beneath the snow so cold and white
A
T’was then I bowed to take his ring
A
And his gold watch and his chain
E A
Then the county laid his daddy in the grave
D E A
Yes warden, the county laid his daddy in the grave”

A
“I will pawn you his watch
A
I will pawn you his chain
E A
I will pawn you my diamond wedding ring
A
I will wash all your clothes
A
I will scrub all your floors
E A
If that will get my baby out of jail
D E A
Yes warden, if that will get my baby out of jail”

A
Then I heard the warden say
A
to the lady old and gray:
E A
“I’ll go bring your darling baby to your side”
A
Two iron gates swung wide apart
A
She held her darling to her heart
E A
She kissed her baby boy and then she died
D E A
But smiling, she kissed her baby boy and then she died

A E A

A E A

D E A

A
“I’m not in your town to stay,”
A
said a lady old and gray
E A
“I’m just here to get my baby out of jail
D E A
Yes warden, I’m just here to get my baby out of jail”

End