PLEASE MR. JAILER
(Wynona Carr)


Wynona Carr - 1956
Mojo Blues Band - 1989
Rachel Sweet (feat. in the film "Cry Baby") - 1990
Imelda May with Jeff Beck - 2011

Also recorded by: 
Sam & The Inmates; Sharon Lewis & Texas Fire.


Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
That night in October, Nineteen-Fifty-Three
How could he be in Frisco, he was home with me
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free

You put him in a death cell
And then you changed your mind
Then when you reprieved him
You gave him ninety-nine
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free

Yeah! Yeah!
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
I know that no other one will ever do
And I know the answer is all up to you
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free

I've been down here so often
You don't even ask my name
And if you keep him all his life
I'll be here just the same
Please, won't you let my man go free

Yeah! Yeah!
Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
That night in October, Nineteen-Fifty-Three
How could he be in Frisco, he was home with me
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
Go free
Go free
Go free
Go free .......... FADE


********************


As recorded by RACHEL SWEET 
(with JAMES INTVELD) for the 1990 film "Cry Baby":

Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free 
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free
He don't belong in prison, though he's guilty as can be
But the only crime he's guilty of is simply lovin' me 
Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let my man go free

(Please Mr. Jailer) Won't you let my man go free 
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! 
(Please Mr. Jailer, won't you let this jailbird free)
(Whoa-ho-ho-ho) 

Just look into his eyes, open up that door
Just listen to his guitar, you'll know the score
(Please Mr. Jailer, let an honest man go free)
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! 

(Please Mr. Jailer, don't you make no lifer outta me)
(I'm innocent, I swear it, let my woman testify)
(She'll tell you where I was that night)
Yeah, I'm his alibi
(Please Mr. Jailer) Won't you let my man go free

(Well I'm tired of pressing license plates down in this rotten hole)
(I gotta reach the outside before I lose control) 
(Please Mr. Jailer, don't you make no lifer out of me)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!

(Please Mr. Jailer, let me out of this penitentiary)
(Whoa-oh, let me out) 
(Please Mr. Jailer, don't you make no lifer out of me)
(Please Mr. Jailer) Won't you let my baby go free 
Whoa-ho-ho-oh, whoa-ho, let my baby go free

Whoa-oh-oh, let my man go free
(Whoa-oh-oh, don't make no lifer out of me)
(Please Mr. Jailer, can't you see how much love she's got for me)
Well, let him go, let him go, let him go, let my man go free, yeah, whoa 
(Please Mr Jailer, let me out!)
(Please Mr. Jailer, don't make me shout!)
(Please Mr. Jailer, let me out!)



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - January 2017)