(these are the words of a frontier lad)
(who lost his love when he turned bad)
Take a message to mary
but don't tell her where i am
take a message to mary
but don't say i'm in a jam
you can tell her that i had to see the world
tell her that my ship set sail
you can say she'd 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 her what i've done
please don't mention the stagecoach
an' the shot from a careless gun
You can tell her that i had to change my plans
an' 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 her all you know
my heart is achin' for mary
lord knows i miss her so
just tell her that i went to timbuktu
tell her that i'm searchin' for gold
you can say she'd better find someone new
to cherish an' to hold
oh lord, this cell is cold