He’s twenty one and jealous of the shadow outside the fence
Got a bible from his cellmate he’s searching for a second chance
Hopes than he can make it outside before his little girl learns to talk
Hopes he can get it all figured out before the judge says that he can walk

Chorus:
Cause it’s hotwired, too tired from being who he’s been
Car theft, what’s left he ain’t ever going back again
He ain’t never going back to tie himself to the whipping pole
His American dream’s like the county line sign that he shot full of holes

And two to four don’t seem like much till you’re stuck in an eight by ten
He felt guilty damn near all his life and much more now than then
He wrote a letter to Jesus last night and he nailed it up to the cross
Yeah he’s free in his heart but at night in the dark, you know the man he’s still the boss

Chorus

He walked through the gate last Thursday and headed on into town
What did he see but a Cadillac there with all it’s windows down

Chorus 2:
And it’s broke down, hands bound and it's back to who he was
No change it seems strange, it ain’t ever been push or shove
And now he’s going back to tie himself to the whipping pole
And his American dream the county sign that he shot full of holes