Soul Of A Convict

Soul Of A Convict
(Eddie Sovine)

(Will he take the soul of a convict
Could I be one of those he choosed.)

I was taught the Bible from childhood
At my mother's knee I learned to pray
I was taught of God and all his goodness
And the devil and his evil ways.

There's good in the bad and bad in the good
And there's none that's free from sin
But there's some questions I've wondered about
What happens to the men who die in the pen.

Just imagine yourself the judge God Almighty
As you gaze over all these men
When death takes its toll what becomes of the soul
Of the men who die in the pen.

Do you think of God that's true and just
Could look from his heavenly throne
And be pleased to see men placed in chains and stripes
And tucked from their loved ones at home.

Worked until they're completely axhuasted
And your soul cries out in vain
Fed like a hog and treated like a dog
And at night to the bed you're chained.

Worked from sunup to sundown
Through all kinds of weather
And if you don't do the things just right
You get introduced to the leather.

Now you see it's not the pain I mind so much
As I'm stretched out on the floor
It's just the thought that I can't do my part
That's what breaks my heart.

You see I'm just not man enough anymore
Oh, there are a lotta other things I could tell you
That you'd marvel at and say
Why I didn't know in those modern times
They treated men that way but they do.

That's why I ask you do you think that God could
Turn with a sneer and frown
At the men who die in the pen
Do you think he'll turn us down.

I believe there's a heaven and a hell
And in God I put my trust
That's why I'm askin' these questions
I believe he's true and just.

And I just imagine he'll tell me
As we meet at the golden stairs
Hell's not just meant for some of the men who die in the pen
But for some who have mistreated them there.

You see we're payin' for the mistakes we made in our sins
As we've had our troubles in life
Because we're the underdogs of humanity
And surely God won't make us pay twice.

I believe on that Day of Judgement
He'll have this convict called in
And he'll say it's true hell's not for you
You had your hell in the pen...