The "prison on rt 41" is the church. He's the only one in his family who isn't imprisoned there, because his savior "is not Christ the Lord," but Virginia, who has lured him away from the faith with her sexy legs and the "precepts of her purity," which he obviously sees as more pure than the church.

This is what Iron and Wine is basically always singing about anyway, cf songs like Sacred Vision, Upward Over the Mountain, Father Mountain, Sodom South Georgia, etc.

There are two major interpretations borne rather well by these lyrics. In the first, literal interpretation, four generations of the speaker's family, man and woman alike, are housed in the same prison. The righteous and pure Virginia was the powerful influence that spared the speaker from that fate (sort of like Claudia Feathers to William Munny in Unforgiven). Out of gratitude, the speaker spends all of his time keeping Virginia happy. Rightly so, for that would be one deeply troubled family.

In the second, the figurative "prison" is the speaker's relationship with Virginia, who has suceeded in completely cutting the speaker off from his family of origin, including his own son (presumably borne by another woman). The speaker's family lives in a house on Route 41, which Virginia has convinced the speaker is somehow akin to a prison.

The latter of these two interpretations stands as a parable against mistaking a lover for a savior (elevated above Christ the Lord), one without whom one would oneself "surely die". It also reminds us of a frequent, and frequently ignored, warning sign in many troubled relationships, i.e. one partner attempting to cut the other off from friends and family in an effort to eliminate competing influences and/or to weaken and disorient one's partner, who will then become more dependent.

I think the last verse of this song is pretty clear:

By the precepts of her purity So unlike the habits of my whole family Whom I only see down on my knees In prayer by Virginia whom I live for to please

In this song, Virginia is the Virgin Mary, the protagonist's savior whose immaculate conception made her pure. He prays to her for guidance on his knees, and owes his life (out of prison, and in an ethereal sense) to her.

It's almost a Christmas song.

Chombis, you took the word's out of my mouth...

I was thinking that his home was making him a prisoner from his lover, but that's a more resounding explanation.

It's probably the deepest song I've heard yet by Sam Beam.

I hear the lyrics as:

There's a prison on Route 41 A home to my father, first cousin, and son And I visit on every weekend Not with my body but with prayers that I send

I've a reason for my absentee And no lack of love for my dear family But my savior is not Christ the Lord But one named Virginia whom I live my life for

'Cause I owe mine to her And I'd rot in that prison for sure If she tossed me aside And not show me the way to abide

By the creed, the law of the land So unlike my uncle, grandpa, and great aunt Whom I'd most likely see every day If not for the righteous pair of Virginia's legs

There's a prison on Route 41 Home to my mother, stepbrother, and son And I'd tear down that jail by myself If not for Virginia who made me somebody else

And I owe all to her I’d rot in that prison for sure If she tossed me aside And not show me the way to abide

By the precepts of her purity So unlike the habits of my whole family Whom I only see down on my knees In prayer by Virginia whom I live for to please

I hear the chorus as

Cuz I owe mine to her And I'd rot in that prison for sure If she tossed me aside and not shown me the way to abide

ANYway, I think Chombis nailed this one...I always heard the song as the speaker claiming his undying love for the woman who supposedly "saved him" from the life of his family, aka in prison.

I don't think the word 'prison' should be taken completely literally, just as a bad experience, or something similar, that they're caught up in and can't escape.

maybe a family tragedy that he's blatantly ignoring with the help of Virginia?

could be way off, but that's my loose interpretation

I think it's about a black slave... separated of his family in the times when virginia was a slave state. and you should look up the lyrics in the Iron & Wine fansite cuz these written here are not entirely correct

I think it's unnecessary to read much into this song. I think, like so many Iron & Wine songs, it's just a lovely vignette about a man who loves woman and credits her with the path of his life diverging from that of his family.

1 There is an historic prison on route 41 (Marquette Branch Prison) and I'm sure there are many, many other prisons along this road which stretches out 2000 miles.

2 Route 41 doesn't go anywhere near Virginia and didn't exist until 1926, long after slavery was abolished.

2 Sam Beam lived in Florida for a period of time which would have made him very familiar with historic Route 41 which runs from The Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Miami, Florida .

One more thing, I'm pretty sure the line is "if not for the righteous path that Virginia lay," and not "if not for the righteous pair of Virginia's legs." :D