I've been in jail eleven years and parole has just come through
The gates will soon swing open wide but I'm not going through
Jail's the only home I know or care to know about
Please let me stay where I belong please don't let me out

How could I tell those friends of mine they've seen the last of me
Can't I make you understand I never can be free
Cause that's a big unfriendly world and I don't know the route
That leads to where I may belong please don't let me out
[ guitar ]
I had to learn to get along without a lot of things
And I had to learn to live with the loneliness confinement brings
And I learnt to take no mail from home or whatever came about
Now I'm dug in and I'm happy here please don't let me out

How could I tell those friends of mine...
Yes that's a big unfriendly world...