in the jailhouse now

i had a friend named bill campbell

he used to rob

steal and gamble

and on the side he'd beg

so he mopped up

well

i told ol' billy shouldn't do it

and ol' bill said that he knew it

so he started beggin' with a bucket

instead of a cup

he's in the jailhouse now

he's in the jailhouse now

now ol' bill fluffed his dove

when he wrote a tuxedo to the country club

he's in the jailhouse now

now bill had a gal named sadie

and she said have you seen billy lately

no i don't believe that he's about

but ol' sadie went down to the jail

it was just to pay his bail

then she whispered

sheriff please don't let him out

he's in the jailhouse now

he's in the jailhouse now

it was while ol' bill's away

sadie's with the sheriff everyday

he's in the jailhouse now

oh

you remember the last election

yeah

the prohibitionists was in action

tryin' to elect themselves a president

and bill campbell and john austin

they rode from new orleans to boston

bottle in every settlement

they're in the jailhouse now

they're in the jailhouse now

lord they caught them down by the railroad track

stealin' a train to haul it back

they're in the jailhouse now