By David Allan Coe



BACK IN 1953



WE STOLE A CAR OLD MERLE AND ME



NEVER THINKING WED BE PUT IN JAIL



YOU MIGHT SAY THAT WE WERE GREEN



I WAS BARELY SEVENTEEN



WHEN THEY PUT THOSE BARS BETWEEN OLD MERLE AND ME







LATE ONE NIGHT WE HIT THE WALL



TWENTY FEET WE HAD TO FALL



TO THE GROUND WHERE WE COULD CRAW INTO THE WEEDS



WAITING FOR THAT SHOTGUN BLAST



NEVER THINKING WE COULD LAST



WE SURE HAD TO GROW UP FAST, OLD MERLE AND ME







WE WERE YOUNG AND CRAZY THEN



IT WAS EASY TO PRETEND



ACTING LIKE WED NEVER BEEN IN REFORM SCHOOL



LOOKING DANGER IN THE EYE



WALKING WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH



WE WERE NOT AFRAID TO DIE, OLD MERLE AND ME







WE WERE LIVING BY THE GUN



NEVER CARING WHAT WED DONE



SWEARING IT WAS ALL JUST FUN AND GAMES YOU KNOW



WE WOULD DIE AND GO TO HELL



BEFORE WE BROKE OUR VOW TO TELL



HOW WE ESCAPED THAT PRISON CELL. OLD MERLE AND ME







HOW WAS MERLE OR ME TO KNOW



WE WOULD END UP ON DEATH ROW



WAITING FOR OUR TURN IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR



SHOT DOWN IN A GROCERY STORE



WE GOT BUSTED AT THE DOOR



PRAYING WASN'T EASY FOR OLD MERLE AND ME