sentences:  However, the song is not literally autobiographical, as many country music historians point out.While writer Bill Malone's assessment of the song is in agreement with Ace Collins' (referring to his own experiences that saw him sentenced to prison), Malone points out that Haggard never was sentenced to "life without parole," as the protagonist in the song was.Still the song's lyrics, and the protagonist's experiences, are heavily influenced by Haggard's early life.