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