Oh, the age of the inmates
I remember quite freely:
No younger than twelve,
No older 'n seventeen.
Thrown in like bandits
And cast off like criminals,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
From the dirty old mess hall
You march to the brick wall,
Too weary to talk
And too tired to sing.
Oh, it's all afternoon
You remember your home town,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
Oh, the gates are cast iron
And the walls are barbed wire.
Stay far from the fence
With the 'lectricity sting.
And age keep your head down
And stay in your number,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
Oh, it's fare thee well
To the deep hollow dungeon,
Farewell to the boardwalk
That takes you to the screen.
Farewell to the minutes
They threaten you with it,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
As the rain rattled heavy
On the bunk house shingles,
And the sounds in the night,
They made my ears ring.
Well the keys of the guards
Clicked the tune of the morning,
Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.
Oh, some of us will wind up
In St. Cloud Prison,
And some of us will will go on
To be lawyers and things,
And some of us will wind up
And meet you on your crossroads,
From Inside the walls,
The walls of Red Wing.