Viola Lee Blues lyrics

The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it (note1)
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-e
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down
If you miss jail sentence, you'll be Nashville bound (note2)

Some got six months, some got one solid
Some got one solid year, indeed-e
Some got six months, some got one solid year
But me and my buddy, we got lifetime here

I wrote a letter, mailed it in the
Mailed it in the air, indeed-e
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the air
You may know my brother, I've got a friend somewhere (note3)

The original version by Noah Lewis doesn't include the final verse sung by the Dead. Instead, it has a verse something like:

Fix my supper, mama, let me go to
Let me go to bed, indeed-e
Fix my supper, let me go to bed
I've been drinking white lightning, and it just gone to my head