Gone to the Dogs

The Priest got a hold of me
In 1983 and I ain't the only one
I'm sure you'll meet some more like me 
before it's said and done

I started an enterprise 
selling pills and weed at school in 1985
What's a troubled boy to do 
but go on along for the ride
straight to the juvy hall 
for a stretch on the other side

Where the boys made a man of me
They taught me the ups and downs
and the art of a burglary
so when I got out the hall there'd be some work for me
Stealing cars and robbing homes
and hawking the jewelry

Well they threw that book at me
heading for the Northeast Correctional Facility
for two years less a day to get some new tricks up my sleeve 

Methamphetamine 
there was gold in them hills but it laid waste to me
and between that and the pills
things were dire indeed
I beat a dealer nearly dead and when convicted
I got ten to thirteen in Dorchester
Federal penitentiary

I felt the hand of God, it saved my ugly soul
and I swore that I'd get a job
and the day I got paroled I started workin' straight
Monday to Friday through '98
detailing dirty cars until some pocket change
went missing from an Oldsmobile
and I got all the blame
How's a fucked up boy to feel so I burnt the place
Left the boss there nearly dead

Yeah I'm tired indeed
now your Honour you've heard it all
So I'm beggin' you please get me back inside some walls 
and away from society
I'm all gone to the dogs
The good lord made a waste of me