Oh what I'd give to be with my Mary

To hold her close and walk again through meadows green

To see again the tender love light shining from her eyes

To walk among the ones I love but jailbirds can't fly

Oh what I'd give to see my old dad and mom

It seems that I can hear them saying hurry home my son

I can feel the soft lips of my Mary as we kissed goodbye

I long to fly straight to her arms but jailbirds can't fly

No it can't be no not for me these walls are too high and jailbirds can't fly

Tomorrow when dawn comes and they sat me in that chair

Soon I'll be with my Mary but I'll no longer care

Then they'll place me on that big silver plane that sails the homeward skies

But from the walls of that pinebox jailbirds can't fly

No it can't be no not for me these walls are too high and jailbirds can't fly