Sing Me Back Home
Echoes of Redemption: Merle Haggard's Melody of Reflection
Lyrics
The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom
The warden is escorting a prisoner to his impending fate.
And I stood up to say good-bye like all the rest
The speaker stood up to bid farewell to the prisoner, as others have done.
And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell
The prisoner tells the warden, before reaching the speaker's cell, to let his guitar-playing friend fulfill his request.
"Let my guitar-playing friend do my request"
The prisoner's request is for the speaker, his guitar-playing friend, to sing for him.
Let him sing me back home with a song I used to hear
The speaker is asked to sing a song that brings back memories.
Make my old memories come alive
The song is intended to revive old memories of the listener.
Take me away and turn back the years
The request is to transport the listener to the past and relive previous years.
Sing me back home before I die
The plea is to sing the song before the listener's imminent death.
I recall last Sunday morning a choir from 'cross the street
The speaker recalls a choir from across the street singing gospel songs last Sunday morning.
Came in to sing a few old gospel songs
The choir enters to perform a few old gospel songs.
And I heard him tell the singers "there's a song my mama sang
The prisoner asks the singers to perform a specific song his mother used to sing.
Could I hear once before you move along?"
The prisoner wishes to hear the song before the singers move along.
Won't you sing me back home, with the song I used to hear
The speaker is again asked to sing a song that brings back memories.
Make my old memories come alive
The purpose is to revive old memories through the song.
Take me away and turn back the years
Similar to line 8, the request is to transport the listener to the past and relive previous years.
Sing me back home before I die
Reiteration of the plea to sing the song before the listener's impending death.
Sing me back home before I die
Reiteration of the plea to sing the song before the listener's imminent death.
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