Ninety-nine years is a long long time to bust your back and the heart of mine

You sweat so much you can't cry tears when you stop to think about ninety-nine years

Ninety-nine years on a harder rock mine I work two years off of my time

Ninety-nine years go so slow when you still got ninety-seven more to go



Wrong kind woman got me in this mess wantin' pretty things and a satin red dress

What I couldn't make she said I have to take and judge said ninety-nine for just this sake

[ guitar ]

I take a rest when the guard turns his head

Hopin' he'll be nappin' maybe shoot me dead

Those days drag by and the years go slow

But thank God I only got ninety-seven more to go

Ninety-nine years on a harder rock...