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