| Cold iron shackles, ball and chain, |
| Listen to the whistle of the evenin train. |
| You know you bound to wind up dead, |
| If you don’t head back to tennessee jed. |
| Rich man step on my poor head, |
| When you get back you better butter my bread. |
| Well, do you know it’s like I said, |
| You better head back to tennessee jed. |
| Tennessee, tennessee, there aint no place I’d rather be, |
| Baby wont you carry me back to tennessee. |
| Drink all day and rock all night, |
| The law come to get you if you don’t walk right |
| Got a letter this morning, baby all it read, |
| You better head back to tennessee jed. |
| I dropped four flights and cracked my spine, |
| Honey, come quick with the iodine, |
| Catch a few winks, baby, under the bed |
| Then you head back to tennessee jed. |
| Tennessee, tennessee, there aint no place I’d rather be, |
| Baby wont you carry me back to tennessee. |
| I run into charlie fog, |
| Blacked my eye and he kicked my dog, |
| My doggie turned to me and he said, |
| Lets head back to tennessee jed. |
| I woke up a feelin mean, |
| Went down to play the slot machine, |
| The wheels turned around, and the letters read, |
| You better head back to tennessee jed. |
| Tennessee, tennessee, there aint no place I’d rather be, |
| Baby wont you carry me back to tennessee. |