I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
I got chains
Chains around my feet
I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
And them chains
Them chains they're about to drag me down

On a monday i was ar-rested (uh huh)
On a tuesday they locked me in the jail (oh boy)
On a wednesday my trial was at-tested
On a thursday they said guilty and the judge's gavel fell

I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
I got chains
Chains around my feet
I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
And them chains
Them chains they're about to drag me down

On a monday my momma come to see me
On a tuesday they caught me with a file
On a wednesday i'm down in solitary
On a thursday i start on bread and water for a while

I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
I got chains
Chains around my feet
I got stripes
Stripes around my shoulders
And them chains
Them chains they're about to drag me down