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

[Verse]
  A
I went across the river, I laid down to sleep,
  D                        A
I went across the river, I laid down to sleep,
            E                           A
When I woke up, were the shackles on my feet. 
 A
Twenty-nine links of chain around my leg,
 D                      A
Twenty-nine links of chain around my leg,
             E                      A
And on each link, the initial of my name.    

[Chorus]
A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
    D                     A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
            E                           A
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long. 
 
[Verse]
  A
I asked the judge what might  be my fine,
  D                    A
I asked the judge what might be my fine,
             E                          A
Twenty-one years on the Rocky Mountain Line. 
  A
The train arrived, sixteen coaches long,
    D                       A
The train arrived, sixteen coaches long,
                   E                  A
The girl I love is on that train and gone.  

[Chorus]
A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
    D                     A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
            E                           A
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long. 
 
[Bridge]
 A
If anyone asks you who composed this song,
 D                         A
If anyone asks you who composed this song,
                       E                 A
Tell him ?twas I and I sing it all day long.  

[Chorus]
A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
    D                     A
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song,
            E                           A
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long.