The traditional folk song "The Midnight Special"
originated amongst prisoners in the American South. The
song tells a tale of the life of a prisoner behind
bars. The final verse warns the listener that if they
ever visit Houston they must obey the law, or they will
end up in jail. The lyrics to the song were first
published in print by Howard Odum in 1905. The first
commercial recording of the song was in 1926 by Dave
"Pistol Pete" Cutrell on the OKeh label.