D               A                 G               D 
I got a sad sad story friend that I don't like to tell I 
                A                G                 D 
 had a home and family when they locked me in this cell I 
 G            A        G                   D 
 been in here 18 years thats a long time I know but time 
              A           G             D 
 don't mean a thing to me I got life to go. I went one 
                 A                     G 
 night where the lights were bright to see what I could 
 D                     A              G 
 see I met up with and old friend who thought the world of 
 D     G                       A                G 
 me he bought me drinks and he took me to every honky tonk 
    D                        A                    G 
 in town words were said and now he's dead I just had to 
           D                           A              G 
 bring him down. It's been a long long time now since I 
               D                        A 
 heard from my wife I know I'd be there with her if I 
 G              D       G               A 
 hadn't used my knife I bet that little girl of mine don't 
 G          D                      A            G 
 realize or know daddy's been here 18 years and still got 
         D                         G                 G 
 life to go. I bet there's not one man outside who's spent 
              D                         A 
 this long in jail I'll be here in this prison till my 
 G             D       G                A 
 body's just a shell I can't be free to go and see the 
 G                 D                 A            G 
 one's that I love so I been in here 18 years and still 
            D  G                 D  G                 D 
got life to go yes I got life to go still got life to go. 
 
 
This song appears on George Jones album blue and lonesome and he did in fact  
write this song that was made more popular by Stonewall Jackson.