| Well, judge looked down, gave me forty days
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| Instead of the fine that I could not pay
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| Said «Walk right, you’ll soon be home
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| Cross the line, you’ll be on your own»
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| Forty days of shotguns and barbed wire fences
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| Forty nights to sit and listen
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| To the midnight train to Memphis
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| Well now, whistle blows when the sun comes up
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| Head to floor, keep your big mouth shut
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| Eat your breakfast on the ground
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| Work like hell till the sun goes down
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| Forty days of shotguns and barbed wire fences
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| Forty nights to sit and listen
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| To the midnight train to Memphis
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| Well now, ten for the jury, ten for the judge
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| Twenty more to forget my grudge
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| When I get to thirty-nine
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| That’s the longest day in a prisoner’s mind
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| Forty days of shotguns and barbed wire fences
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| Forty nights to sit and listen
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| To the midnight train to Memphis
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| Midnight train to Memphis
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| Midnight train to Memphis
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| Oh, Midnight train to Memphis |