Story Behind The Song

The music was written for a PBS documentary about Angola Prison, aired in 2002. Robert hunter heard the music and wrote these strong soulful lyrics about a man doing life in prison.

Song Description

Ppoignant slow blues-lyrics by Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter

Lyrics

A day in the life of a dead man's soul
Rise up weary in this Goddamned hole
Season my supper with the salt of tears
Sentenced to life plus 99 years

Lifetime-------------------plus 99 years
A voice in the dark that no one hears
forgotten by God until judgment nears
Lifetime------------------plus 99 years

I did the crime and I don't deny
in prison to live and in prison to die
no one to remember me on the outside
far as they're concerned I already died

They get on with their lives like I didn't exist
for all I know I've never been missed
never had a visit, a letter or a call
not even a snapshot to hang on my wall

Lifetime-------------------plus 99 years
A voice in the dark that no one hears
forgotten by God until judgment nears
Lifetime------------------plus 99 years

dead to the world outside these bars
ded to the ocean, the fields, the stars
dead to hope and dead to fear
dead to the thought of getting out of here

you wonder why I don't try suicide?
it's because of a still small light inside
just a flicker, not a full fledged spark
in the dead of night when the cells are dark

Lifetime-------------------plus 99 years
A voice in the dark that no one hears
forgotten by God until judgment nears
Lifetime------------------plus 99 years