Vivian Nesbitt and John Dillon - Jail Can’t Hold My Body Down

Jail Can’t Hold My Body Down
(Performed by Vivian Nesbitt & John Dillon)


Standing on the picket line hooting at the scabs
Sheriff said he’d teach us right from wrong
Thirty dollars, thirty days, that judge he wrote us down
Sitting in that narrow cell we sang the whole night long

Jail can’t hold my body down
Chains can’t turn my soul around
I’m singing through the bars
Flying free among the moon and stars
Jail can’t hold my body down

Locked up in that prison, our children by our sides
We sang just like cats let loose in hell
Slept all day, sang all night, that judge just lay awake
Sent down for the sheriff and he opened up that cell

Jail can’t hold my body down
Chains can’t turn my soul around
I’m singing through the bars
Flying free among the moon and stars
Jail can’t hold my body down

Have you known the freedom of voices joined together
Have you felt the power in that sound
While there is a soul in prison we shall not be free
While there is a song in prison we shall not be bound

Jail can’t hold my body down
Chains can’t turn my soul around
I’m singing through the bars
Flying free among the moon and stars
Jail can’t hold my body down