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The Prisoner's Song
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sad
love family folk gene autry wilf carter
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acoustic, old skool, family, love
My dad, Harry, and my aunt Virginia and uncle Walter inherited a love of music from their father, and made wonderful music together for many years.
Song Info
Genre
Acoustic • Acoustic Folk
Charts
Peak #791
Peak in subgenre #69
Author
Guy Massey
Rights
1924
Uploaded
September 19, 2007
Track Files
MP3
MP3 1.4 MB • 128 kbps • 1:32
Story behind the song
The Prisoner's Song (If I Had the Wings of an Angel) "The Prisoner's Song" is a song written in 1924, copyrighted by Guy Massey but possibly written by his brother Robert. The lyrics are in part derived from parts of old prison work songs. The song was recorded by Vernon Dalhart on Victor Records in October 1924 and marketed in the hillbilly music genre. It became one of the best-selling records of the early twentieth century, with at least two million copies sold (sales figures are uncertain; some place the sales at 7 million or more), as well as over a million copies of the sheet music to the tune. It was later performed by, among others, Hank Snow and Bill Monroe.
Lyrics
Oh, I wish I had someone to love me Yes, someone to call me their own Oh, I wish I had someone to live with 'Cause I'm tired of living alone. Oh, please meet me tonight in the moonlight Oh, please meet me tonight all alone For I have a sad story to tell you It's a story that's never been told. I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow Leaving my poor darling alone With the cold prison bars all around me And my head on a pillow of stone. Now, I have a grand ship on the ocean All mounted with silver and gold And before my poor darling would suffer Oh, that ship would be anchored and sold. Now if I had the wings like an angel Over these prison walls I would fly And I'd fly to the arms of my darling And there I'd be willing to die...
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