[Intro]
         
         

[Verse 1]
          
Got in a littl

  
e trouble; At 

the county sea

t.

Lord, they put

 me in the jai

lhouse; For lo

afing on the s

treet.

When the judge

 heard the ver

dict; I was a 

guilty man.

He said, "Fort

y five dollars

 or thirty day

s in the can."

[Chorus 1]
            
"That'll be ca

              
sh on the barr

        
el head, son
              
You can make y

            
our choice, yo

            
u're twenty-on

e
            
No money down,

           
 no credit pla

n,
            
No time to cha

              
se you; 'Cause

          
 I'm a busy ma

n"


[Instrumental Break]
         
         
       
       


[Verse 2]
          
Found a teleph

    
one number; On

 a laundry sli

p.

I had a good h

earted jailer;

 With a six gu

n hip.

He let me call

 long distance

; She said, "N

umber please"

And no sooner 

than I told he

r; She shouted

 out at me:

[Chorus 2]
            
"That'll be ca

              
sh on the barr

       
el head son,
              
Not part, not 

            
half but the e

      
ntire sum.
            
No money down,

           
 no credit pla

n.
              
'Cause a littl

            
e bird tells m

              
e you're a tra

       
veling man"


[Instrumental Break]
         
         


[Verse 3]
          
Thirty days in

      
 the jailhouse

; Four days on

 the road

I was feeling 

mighty hungry;

 My feet a hea

vy load

Saw a greyhoun

d coming; Stuc

k up my thumb

Just as I was 

being seated; 

The driver cau

ght my arm

[Chorus 3]
              
Said "That'll 

            
be cash on the

              
 barrel head, 


son
              
This old Gray 


Dog is paid to

 run.
              
When the engin

              
e starts; Lord

              
, the wheels w

     
on't roll
              
Give me cash o

            
n the barrel h

              
ead; I'll take

              
 you down the 

  
road"