Cold iron shackles, ball and chain

You listen to the whistle of the evening 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, you know it's like I said

You better head back to Tennessee Jed

Tennessee, Tennessee

There ain't no place I'd rather be

Baby, won't you carry me

Back to Tennessee

Drink all day, rock all night

The law come to get you if you don't walk right

Got a letter this morning, baby, all it read

Get on back to Tennessee Jed

I dropped four flights and cracked my spine

Buddy, come quick with the Iodine

Catch a few winks, baby, under the bed

Head on back to Tennessee Jed

Tennessee, Tennessee

There ain't no place I'd rather be

Baby, won't you carry me

Back to Tennessee

Well, I run into Charlie Fog

He blacked my eye and he kicked my dog

My doggie turned to me as he said

Let's head back to Tennessee Jed

And I woke up a feeling mean

Went on down to play the slot machine

The wheels turned round, and the letters read

You better head back to Tennessee Jed

Tennessee, Tennessee

There ain't no place I'd rather be

Baby, won't you carry me

Back to Tennessee

Copyright: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): JEROME J. GARCIA, ROBERT C. HUNTER