Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose) Joan Baez G G Billy Rose was a low rider, Billy Rose was a night fighter C G D Billy Rose knew trouble like the sound of his own name D Busted on a drunken charge D Driving someone else's car D G The local midnight sheriff's claim to fame G G In an Arizona jail there are some who tell the tale, how C G D Billy fought the sergeant for some milk that he demanded D Knowing they'd remain the boss D Knowing he would pay the cost D G They saw he was severely reprimanded Em D In the blackest cell on A Block Em D He hanged himself at dawn Em D With a note stuck to the bunk head Am D Don't mess with me, just take me home Em D Come and lay, help us lay G young Billy down G G Luna was a Mexican the law calls an alien C G D For coming across the border with a baby and a wife D Though the clothes upon his back were wet D Still he thought that he could get D G Some money and things to start a life G G It hadn't been too very long when it seemed like everything went wrong C G D They didn't even have the time to find themselves a home D This foreigner, a brown-skin male D Thrown inside a Texas jail D G It left the wife and baby quite alone Em D He eased the pain inside him Em D With a needle in his arm Em D But the dope just crucified him Am D He died to no one's great alarm Em D Come and lay, help us lay G Young Luna down Em D And we're gonna raze, raze the prisons G To the ground G G C Kilowatt was an aging con of 65 who stood a chance to stay alive G D And leave the joint and walk the streets again D As the time he was to leave drew near D He suffered all the joy and fear D G Of leaving 35 years in the pen G G And on the day of his release he was approached by the police C G D Who took him to the warden walking slowly by his side D The warden said "You won't remain here D But it seems a state retainer D G Claims another 10 years of your life." Em D He stepped out in the Texas sunlight Em D The cops all stood around Em D Old Kilowatt ran 50 yards Am D Then threw himself down on the ground Em D They might as well just have laid G The old man down Em D And we're gonna raze, raze the prisons G To the ground Em D Help us raze, raze the prisons G To the ground
