On a Monday,
I was arrested (uh huh)
On a Tuesday,
They locked me in the jail (oh boy)
On a Wednesday,
My trial was attested
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

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