It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

I went across the river and I lay down to sleep
I went across the river and I lay down to sleep
I went across the river and I lay down to sleep
I woke up and I had shackles on my feet

Twenty-nine links of chain around my leg*
Twenty-nine links of chain around my leg
Twenty-nine links of chain around my leg
And on each link, an initial of my name

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

I asked the judge, "What's gonna be my fine"
I asked the judge, "What's gonna be my fine"
I said, "Oh, judge, what's gonna be my fine"
He said, "Twenty-one years on the Rocky Mountain Line"**

Twenty-one years to pay for my awful crime
Twenty-one years to pay for my awful crime
Twenty-one years to pay for my awful crime
Twenty one years, but I still got ninety-nine
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

The train pulled out, sixteen coaches long***
The train pulled out, sixteen coaches long
The train pulled out, sixteen coaches long
The one I love, she's on that train and gone

I looked down the track, as far as I could see
I looked down the track, as far as I could see
I looked down the track, as far as I could see
A Little bitty hand was a-wavin' back at me

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

If anyone asks you who composed this song
If anyone asks you who composed this song
If anyone asks you who composed this song
Tell him it was I and I sing it all day long

Oh, it takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long