Tom T. Hall – A Week In A Country Jail

“A Week in a Country Jail” is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Tom T. Hall. It was released in November 1969 as the third and final single from his 1969 studio album Homecoming. The song was Hall’s fifth release to reach the U.S. country singles chart and the first of six number-ones. “A Week in a Country Jail” stayed at the top for two weeks and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the chart.

The song begins with the protagonist being arrested for speeding. He spends the night in a jail cell, being served hot bologna, eggs and gravy and, during his prolonged stay,

From the album Homecoming
B-side “Flat Footin’-It”
Released November 24, 1969
Recorded March 4, 1969
Columbia Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre Country
Length 3:00
Label Mercury 72998
Songwriter(s) Tom T. Hall
Producer(s) Jerry Kennedy

Tom T. Hall – A Week In A Country Jail Lyrics

[Verse:]
One time I spent a week inside a little country jail
And I don’t guess I’ll ever live it down
I was sittin’ at a red light when these two men came and got me
And said that I was speeding through their town
Well, they said,tomorrow morning you can see the judge then go
They let me call one person on the phone
I thought I’d be there overnight so I just called my boss
To tell him I’d be off but not for long
Well, they motioned me inside a cell with seven other guys
One little barred up window in the rear
My cellmates said if they had let me bring some money in
We ought to send the jailer for some beer
Well, I had to pay him double ’cause he was the man in charge
And the jailer’s job was not the best in town
Later on his wife brought hot bologna, eggs and gravy
The first day I was there I turned it down
Well, next morning they just let us sleep but I was up real early
Wonderin’ when I’d get my release
Later on we got more hot bologna, eggs and gravy
And by now I wasn’t quite so hard to please
Two days later when I thought that I had been forgotten
The sheriff came in chewin’ on a straw
He said, where is the guy who thinks that this is indianapolis?
I’d like to talk to him about the law
Well, I told him who I was and told him I was working steady
And I really should be gettin’ on my way
That part about me bein’ who I was did not impress him
He said, the judge’ll be here any day
The jailer had a wife and let me tell you she was awful
But she brought that hot bologna every day
And after seven days she got to lookin’ so much better
I asked her if she’d like to run away
The next mornin’ that old judge took every nickel that I had
And he said, son, let this teach you not to race
The jailer’s wife was smilin’ from the window as I left
In thirty minutes I was out of state