Walls of Red Wing
Bob Dylan Lyrics

Oh, the age of the inmates I remember quite freely: No younger than twelve, No older 'n seventeen.
The singer remembers the inmates at Red Wing who weren't younger than twelve or older than seventeen, highlighting how young and vulnerable they were.

Thrown in like bandits And cast off like criminals, Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The singer describes how the inmates were treated like criminals and thrown into the Red Wing facility, becoming trapped within its walls.

From the dirty old mess hall You march to the brick wall, Too weary to talk And too tired to sing.
The singer describes the exhausting routine of inmates who move from their meals in the mess hall to being surrounded by brick walls, too weary to speak or sing.

Oh, it's all afternoon You remember your home town, Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
Despite being confined within the walls of Red Wing, inmates still remember their homes and hometowns, recalling them throughout the long afternoons in the facility.

Oh, the gates are cast iron And the walls are barbed wire. Stay far from the fence With the 'lectricity sting.
The artist describes the heavily guarded exterior of Red Wing, with cast iron gates and barbed wire walls, warning against getting too close to the electrified fence surrounding it.

And it's keep down your head And stay in your number, Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
Inmates are told to keep their heads down and stay in line, emphasizing the strict and oppressive rules of the Red Wing facility.

Oh, it's fare thee well To the deep hollow dungeon, Farewell to the boardwalk That takes you to the screen.
The singer bids farewell to the prison's dungeon and boardwalk, which takes them to the screening process for getting into the facility.

And farewell to the minutes They threaten you with it, Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The minutes refer to the time soon inmates will spend in the facility. The artist says goodbye to the threat of time, which looms over their head inside the walls of Red Wing.

It's many a guard That stands around smilin', Holdin' his club Like he was a king.
The sardonic speaker notes how many guards at Red Wing stand around and smile, holding their clubs as if they are kings in charge of the inmates.

Hopin' to get you Behind a wood pilin', Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The guards hope to catch the inmates breaking the rules so that they can be punished and kept behind a wooden pile, further reinforcing the oppressive nature of the Red Wing facility.

The night aimed shadows Through the crossbar windows, And the wind punched hard To make the wall-siding sing.
The singer describes how shadows from the night would come through the barred windows while the wind reminds them of their situation, how trapped they were within the facility's walls.

It's many a night I pretended to be a-sleepin', Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The artist sometimes pretended to sleep at Red Wing, perhaps to escape the stark reality of their imprisonment.

As the rain rattled heavy On the bunk-house shingles, And the sounds in the night, They made my ears ring.
The singer describes how heavy rain would hit the roof of the dormitory, with noises at night ringing in their ears, inescapable inside the confines of Red Wing.

'Til the keys of the guards Clicked the tune of the morning, Inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The singer refers to how the morning would begin at Red Wing, with sounds from the guards unlocking doors and the keys clicking away, a daily reminder of the prison's ultimate control.

Oh, some of us'll end up In St. Cloud Prison, And some of us'll wind up To be lawyers and things, And some of us'll stand up To meet you on your crossroads, From inside the walls, The walls of Red Wing.
The singer reflects on the uncertain destiny awaiting inmates, some will end up in another prison or as lawyers or successful individuals, whereas others are forever trapped behind the walls of Red Wing. Even still, some may still return to these crossroads, and the singer remains trapped behind those walls.