Ben In The Pen lyrics by Stompin Tom

They call me Ben, here in the pen, where ya takes the guff & ya suffer
But I'll be free when II'm 53, and I'll bet I'll be a whole lot tougher
I bet I'll be a whole lot tougher..

When I was a lad I was really bad It wasn't smart to be good
I beat up my dog & I choked my frog & acted just as mean as I could.
I hit all the girls and put gum in their curls, cuz I liked to hear em cry & bleed
I'd punch the little boys and steal all their toys cuz I new they weren't smarter than me

Yeah they call me Ben here in the pen where ya take the guff & ya suffer...

When I was sixteen I was really mean I could scrap at the toss of a coin
I's leader of a gang rough rangytangs and ya had to be a good thief ta join
Yeah we had the black jackets and the motor bikes
And we forced all the girls ta SKIP SCHOOL....
And the cops they'd all try ta sympathize when we told em how our parents were so cruel...
Chorus:

When I turned 21 I had to have a gun cuz I planned me a robbery one day....
And the girlfreind said, "I rather be dead than to hang around a guy like me."
Well I granted her wish, and dumped her in with the fish,& then I went ta meet Frank-
Yeah thats the same day I shot and killed me the cop, he didn't wanna let me into the bank
Chorus:

I hope I'll be a whole lot tougher

Aw, what's the use?- I guess I ain't a very good lover...
back to the hammerin man