Ninety Nine Years

Ninety Nine Years
Ninety nine years (dead or alive)guy mitchellwords by sid wayne and music by john benson brookspeaked at # 23 in 1956<sound of hammer on steel, as in sam cooke's "chain gang" are heard throughout>now today i'm thinkin' 'bout the ninth of junei found my friend and my baby at the golden spoonhe jumped off the stool and come at me with a knifesaid "we both can't have her, so fight for your life" ninety nine years in the penitentiary ninety nine years, baby, baby, wait for me ninety nine years, around twenty fifty five we'll get together dead or alivenow today i'm thinkin' 'bout that courtroom triali was so sad, baby, saw you weepin' like a childah, the jury found me guilty, wouldn't listen to my pleaand the judge said "mercy" threw the book at me ninety nine years in the penitentiary ninety nine years, baby, baby, wait for me (ninety nine years), around twenty fifty five we'll get together dead or alivenow today i'm thinkin' (today i'm a-thinkin')'bout my old friend turk ('bout my old friend turk)must be laughin' with the angels (must be laughin' with the angels)loafin' while i work (loafin' while i work)ah, they beat me when i don't (ah, they beat me when i don't)and they beat me when i do (and they beat me when i do)hey, but i can take it, baby, for you ninety nine years in the penitentiary (ninety nine years), baby, baby, wait for me (ninety nine years), around twenty fifty five we'll get together dead or alivefade(ninety nine years)(ninety nine years)