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[00:10.12]Willie Jones was a man I met when I lived in Baltimore
[00:14.94]I was a guard and he was doing time
[00:19.58]In the three long years he stayed there I got to know him well
[00:24.84]Willie Jones was a friend of mine
[00:28.18]He used to say, "Buddy, you know where I'm goin'
[00:31.94]When they let me out of here
[00:34.74]Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there"
[00:38.89]And he talked about the southland
[00:41.79]Though he'd drifted from its shore
[00:43.75]I never seen a man who loved it more
[00:56.64]He talked about the whip-poor-wills in the Alabama night
[01:01.91]Honeysuckle vine and sugarcane
[01:06.73]Swimming holes and fishing poles and early morning frost
[01:11.56]And sleeping under a tin roof when it rained
[01:16.65]He talked about a country road and a cabin in the pines
[01:21.45]And a girl with wavy long chestnut brown hair
[01:26.30]He talked about the beauty of his Blue Ridge Mountain home
[01:31.26]And damn near made me think that I was there
[01:35.60]And he'd say, "Buddy, you know where I'm goin'
[01:38.79]When they let me out of here
[01:41.46]Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there"
[01:46.08]When a man ain't got no freedom
[01:48.57]The time sure passes slow
[01:51.32]Willie Jones had ten long years to go
[02:03.42]It's been almost a years now since that hot night in July
[02:08.97]Willie hit the guard and jumped the fence
[02:13.16]I had my rifle ready but I couldn't let it fly
[02:18.04]I shot over his head and we ain't seen him since
[02:23.06]Then last week the postman brought a letter to my door
[02:28.01]Marked no return address and no reply
[02:32.56]It just said, "Nobody north of Birmingham is gonna see this boy again
[02:37.78]But if you're ever down our way, won't you please drop by?"
[02:43.16]Buddy, you know where I'm goin'
[02:45.35]When they let me out of here
[02:48.03]Alabama could be heaven if the Lord was there
[02:52.14]And he talked about the southland
[02:55.10]Though he'd drifted from its shore
[02:57.98]Never seen a man who loved it more