Cold iron shackles
And 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

You know you
Well, 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

I woke up
But feelin' mean
Went down to play
The slot machine

The wheels turned around
Baby, the letters 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
Down, under the bed
And then we 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

I run into
Charlie Fog
Blacked my eye
And he kicked my dog

My doggie turned to me
And he said
"Let's head back
To Tennessee Jed"

Drink all day
Baby, rock all night
The law come to get you
If you don't walk right

Catch a few winks
Down, under the bed
Then we 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

Tennessee, Tennessee
There ain't no place I'd rather be
Baby, won't you carry me
Back to Tennessee