Let me tell the tale of Isabel, a boy that she loved so
And that cheatin' man that they let go
He would come home when the sun would rise if he ever came at all
And he'd tell a story tall, tall, tall
Well she's gonna wait all night, she's a faithful wife
And her man is doing wrong, wrong, wrong
I can see that you've been cryin' by the dampness of your face
For a moment let me plead my case
I was booked for drunk-in-public and on six or seven counts
Of loitering and my missed doubts
Well I pled and I pled and every word that I said
Made that old judge just hate me more
And I sat next to a crazy man, tellin' tales of Vietnam
And he wouldn't leave my ears alone
Well I tried and I tried, and I cried and I cried
But that old guard won't let me go
And I stood there thinkin' in my cell about my boy and Isabel
And how I'm gonna change my life
Well I got a call from Misses Long, she told me that you done me wrong
This boy and me are long, long gone
She saw you with that girl again; the one you said was just a friend
This friend of yours is half your age
Well I'm gonna wait all night, 'cause I'm a faithful wife
And this boy and me are long, long gone
And she sat there with the coldest stare as the truth was folded in her hair
Her foot went through that hardwood floor
Well I know when you lie; I can see it in your eyes
You looked surprised when I'd knew where you'd gone