These are the words of a frontier lad

Who lost his love when he turned ba-ad



Take a message to Mary but don't tell 'er where I am

Take a message to Mary but don't say I'm in a jam

You can tell her I had to see the world or tell 'er that my ship set sail

You can say she better not wait for me but don't tell her I'm in jail

Oh, don't tell her I'm in jail



Take a message to Mary but don't tell 'er what I've done

Please don't mention the stagecoach and the shot from a careless gun

You can tell her I had to change my plans and cancel out the wedding day

But please don't mention my lonely cell where I'm gonna pine away

Until my dying day



Take a message to Mary but don't tell 'er all you know

My heart's achin' for Mary, Lord knows I miss her so

Just tell her I went to Timbuktu, tell her I'm searchin' for gold

You can say she better find someone new to cherish and to hold

Oh, Lord, this cell is cold



Ma-ary, Ma-a-a-a-ary

Oh, Lord this cell is cold