G     = 3-2-0-0-0-3
C/G   = 3-3-2-0-1-0
D/F#  = 2-0-0-2-3-2
G*    = 3-x-x-x-x-x
B*    = x-2-x-x-x-x
C*    = x-3-x-x-x-x
A*    = x-0-x-x-x-x
[* = play single note only]

[Intro- Harmonica]
G   C/G     G
C* B* A* G
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 1]
G
Oh, the age of the inmates
  C/G             G
I remember quite freely:

No younger than twelve,
   G*     B* C*   D/F#
No older 'n  seventeen.
G
Thrown in like bandits
    C/G            G
And cast off like criminals,
    C* B*   A*  G
All In-side the walls,
       D       C* B*  G
on the grounds of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 2]
G
From the dirty old mess hall
    C/G           G
You march to the brick wall,

Too weary to talk
        G* B* C* D/F#
And too tired to sing.
G
And, it's all afternoon
    C/G            G
You remember your home town
    C* B*   A*  G
All In-side the walls,
    D     C* B*  G
The walls of Red Wing.
G  D  B* G

[Verse 3]
G
Oh, the gates are cast iron
        C/G        G
And the walls are barbed wire.

Stay far from the fence
            G* B* C*   D/F#
With the 'lec-tri-city sting.
G
And it's keep down your head
    C*   B* A*   G
And stay in your number,
    C*B*   A*  G
All Inside the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 4]
G
Oh, it's fare thee well
       C/G          G
To the deep hollow dungeon,

Farewell to the boardwalk
     G*    B*  C*  D/F#
That takes you to  screen.
    G
farewell to the minutes
     C/G           G
They threaten you with it,
    C* B*   A*  G
All In-side the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 5]
G
It's many a_  guard
     C/G            G
That stands around smilin',

Holdin' his club
     G* B* C* D/F#
Like he was a king.
G
Hopin' to get you
  C*    B*  A*   G
Behind the wood pilin',
    C* B*   A*  G
All In-side the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 6]
G
The night aimed shadows
            C/G       G
Through the crossbar windows,

And the wind punched hard
        G*  B*   C*     D/F#
To make the wall-siding sing.
   G
It's many a night
    C/G            G
I pretended to be a-sleepin',
    C* B*   A*  G
All In-side the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 7]
G
As the rain rattled heavy
       C/G         G
On the bunk-house shingles,

And the sounds in the night
     G*   B* C*   D/F#
They made my ears ring.
         G
'Til the keys of the guards
            C/G          G
Clicked the tune of the morning,
    C* B*   A*  G
All Ins-ide the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.
B* C* B* A* G

[Verse 8]
G
Oh, some of us'll will up
   C/G        G
In St. Cloud Prison,

And some of us'll end up
      G*  B*  C*  D/F#
To be lawyers and things,
    G
And some of us'll stand up
   C/G               G
To meet you on your crossroads,
     C* B*   A*  G
From In-side the grounds,
       D     C* B*  G
Of the walls of Red Wing.