When I was a young man
Sometimes I'd wonder
What happened to time when it passed
Then one day I found out
That time just lands in prison
And there it is held fast
When I was a young man
I used to go courting
Underneath the moon and the stars
The moon is still shining
But the dreams, they are all broken
On these hard iron bars
Look out of the window
Over the rooftops
Over the wall, up to the sky
Just one flying leap
And you could make your getaway
If only you could fly
The prison is sleeping
And the nightwatch is keeping
His watch over seven hundred men
And behind every cell door
A sleeping lad lies dreaming
Oh to be free again
When I was a young man
Sometimes I'd wonder
What happened to time when it passed
Then one day I found out
That time just lands in prison
And there it is held fast