Music -- In The Jailhouse Now

Lyrics provided for informational and educational purposes only.

Lyrics are subject to all U.S. copyright laws and remain property of their respective owners.

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
I told him he shouldn't do it, and Campbell told me 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)
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
Well Campbell fluffed his duff when he wore a tuxedo to the country club
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)

I met his old gal Sadie, she said "have you seen Bill lately?"
I said "I don't believe that he's about"
She went down to the jail, she went down to take him his mail
Then she whispered "Sheriff, please don't let him out"

He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)
While Campbell's put away, Sadie's with the sheriff every day
He's in the jailhouse now (he's in the jailhouse now)

Well I remember the last election, the prohibitionists were in action
They's tryin' to elect themselves a president
Bill Campbell and John Austin walked from New Orleans to Boston
And they've got a bottle in every settlement

They're in the jailhouse now (they're in the jailhouse now)
They're in the jailhouse now (they're in the jailhouse now)
They were down at the railroad track stealin' a train to haul it back
They're in the jailhouse now (they're in the jailhouse now)

---

Well I had a friend named Ramblin' Bob
Who used to steal, gamble and rob
He thought he was the smartest guy in town
But I found out last Monday
That Bob got locked up Sunday
They got him in the jailhouse way down town

He's in the jailhouse now
He's in the jailhouse now
I told him once or twice
To quit playin' cards and shootin' dice
He's in the jailhouse now

He's playing a game named poker
He knuckled with Dan Yoakum
But shooting dice was his greatest game
Now he's downtown in jail, nobody's to go his bail
The judge done said that he refused a fine

He's in the jailhouse now
He's in the jailhouse now
I told him once or twice
To quit playin' cards and shootin' dice
He's in the jailhouse now

Well I went out last Tuesday
Met a girl named Susie
I told her I was the swellest man around
We started to spend my money
Then she started to call me honey
We took in every cabaret in town

We're in the jailhouse now
We're in the jailhouse now
I told the judge right to his face
We didn't like to see this place
We're in the jailhouse now

Lyrics by traditional.

Recorded by Jimmie Rodgers; Webb Pierce; Johnny Cash; many others.

Prior to 1930, several different versions of this were recorded and copyrighted. The earliest is Davis and Stafford's 1915 version, which has verses about a man named Campbell cheating at a card game and a corrupt election. In 1924, Whistler's Jug Band from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded it under the title "Jail House Blues," which was the same title as a famous blues tune by Bessie Smith but was, in fact, the same song as "In the Jailhouse Now".