The Prisoner's
Song
by Guy Massey
"Guy Massey did not write this song. His brother, Robert Massey, wrote it. Guy always stayed with us when he came to Dallas, and I was with them while my husband sang it and Guy wrote it down. He said he wanted to take it to New York. Well, he did, and he copyrighted it in his own name. Up until the time we were married, Robert travelled around over the country, and he picked up part of it somewhere and put words to it. He was singing it when we were married in 1920. Guy tried to put it on record, but he failed, then their cousin, Vernon Dalhart, recorded it, and it just went like wildfire. In his will, Guy willed it back to my husband, but he never did admit that he didn't write it."
— Novie (Mrs. Robert) Massey
The Prisoner's Song
Oh! I wish I had someone to love me,
Someone to call me their own.
Oh! I wish I had someone to live with
'cause I'm tired of living alone.
Oh! please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone.
For I have a sad story to tell you,
It's a story that's never been told.
I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow,
Leaving my poor darling alone.
With the cold prison bars all around me
And my head on a pillow of stone.
Now I have a grand ship on the ocean
All mounted with silver and gold.
And before my poor darling would suffer, Oh!
That ship would be anchored and sold.
Now if I had wings like an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly.
And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darlin'
And there I'd be willing to die.
by Guy Massey
"Guy Massey did not write this song. His brother, Robert Massey, wrote it. Guy always stayed with us when he came to Dallas, and I was with them while my husband sang it and Guy wrote it down. He said he wanted to take it to New York. Well, he did, and he copyrighted it in his own name. Up until the time we were married, Robert travelled around over the country, and he picked up part of it somewhere and put words to it. He was singing it when we were married in 1920. Guy tried to put it on record, but he failed, then their cousin, Vernon Dalhart, recorded it, and it just went like wildfire. In his will, Guy willed it back to my husband, but he never did admit that he didn't write it."
— Novie (Mrs. Robert) Massey
The Prisoner's Song
Oh! I wish I had someone to love me,
Someone to call me their own.
Oh! I wish I had someone to live with
'cause I'm tired of living alone.
Oh! please meet me tonight in the moonlight
Please meet me tonight all alone.
For I have a sad story to tell you,
It's a story that's never been told.
I'll be carried to the new jail tomorrow,
Leaving my poor darling alone.
With the cold prison bars all around me
And my head on a pillow of stone.
Now I have a grand ship on the ocean
All mounted with silver and gold.
And before my poor darling would suffer, Oh!
That ship would be anchored and sold.
Now if I had wings like an angel
Over these prison walls I would fly.
And I'd fly to the arms of my poor darlin'
And there I'd be willing to die.
