Mother you give good advice always you mean well

Now i need it more than ever i'm inside this cell

I'm behind a prison wall the bed's so hard and much too small

There's no pyjamas here at all oh mother what'll i do now

They told me they would treat me swell tucked inside my little cell

But up to now it's been like mother what'll i do now

We're parted from each other and that's too bad

You're my favourite mother oh the best i ever had

Tonight i've got a date you see but they won't let me have a key

And the warder's won't wait up for me oh mother what'll i do now

It's hard to pass the time away i'm in a dangerous mood i say

I've smoked two cigarettes today oh mother what'll i do now

First i stand and then i sit then i sit and stand a bit

But i can't stand much more of it oh mother what'll i do now

We're parted from each other and that's too bad

You're my favourite mother oh the best i ever had

I got such an awful shock i asked the time for there's no clock

And the warder said six months old cock oh mother what'll i do now

I ordered lunch from soup to sweet but they forgot the fish and meat

And since the soup there's nowt to eat oh mother what'll i do now

I've had such a tummy ache all night long i've been awake

Some castor oil they made me take oh mother what'll i do now

We're parted from each other and that's too bad

You're my favourite mother oh the best i ever had

I've played peter fly away paul i've played tiddly winks and all

I've written rude words upon the wall oh mother what'll i do now