Written by Johnny Cash

I walked through the big yard, to feel the warm sunshine
A ninety-nine year man, stepped over to me

He offered a smoke, and said as I rolled it
Tomorrow I'm goin', to break out and go free

They feed us by sunlight, they watch us by spotlight
But I know a way that a man can go free
Down under my cell, I'm diggin' a tunnel
The walls of a prison can never hold me

I told him that I'd have no part of his scheming
My time would be up, one year from today
His eyes blazed with fire, and he looked right through me
Bitter, but broken, again he did say

They feed us by sunlight, they watch us by spotlight
But I know a way that a man can go free
Down under my cell, I'm diggin' a tunnel
The walls of a prison can never hold me

Next morning at breakfast, the old man was missing
Then we all heard the rifles high up on the wall
He'd gone through the tunnel, just like he had promised
And they said he was crying, when they saw him fall

They feed us by sunlight, they watch us by spotlight
But I know a way that a man can go free
Down under my cell, I'm diggin' a tunnel
The walls of a prison can never hold me