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Tennessee Jed Lyrics
Cold iron shackles, ball and chain,
Listen to the whistle of the evenin' train.
You know you bound to wind up dead,
If you don't head back to Tennessee Jed.
Rich man step on my poor head,
When you get back you better butter my bread.
Well, do you know it's like I said,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
Drink all day and rock all night,
The law come to get you if you don't walk right
Got a letter this morning, baby all it read,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
I dropped four flights and cracked my spine,
Honey, come quick with the iodine,
Catch a few winks, baby, under the bed
Then you head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
I run into Charlie Fog,
Blacked my eye and he kicked my dog,
My doggie turned to me and he said,
Let's head back to Tennessee Jed.
I woke up a felin' mean,
Went down to play the slot machine,
The wheels turned around, and the letters read,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
Listen to the whistle of the evenin' train.
You know you bound to wind up dead,
If you don't head back to Tennessee Jed.
Rich man step on my poor head,
When you get back you better butter my bread.
Well, do you know it's like I said,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
Drink all day and rock all night,
The law come to get you if you don't walk right
Got a letter this morning, baby all it read,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
I dropped four flights and cracked my spine,
Honey, come quick with the iodine,
Catch a few winks, baby, under the bed
Then you head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
I run into Charlie Fog,
Blacked my eye and he kicked my dog,
My doggie turned to me and he said,
Let's head back to Tennessee Jed.
I woke up a felin' mean,
Went down to play the slot machine,
The wheels turned around, and the letters read,
You better head back to Tennessee Jed.
Tennessee, Tennessee, there ain't no place I'd rather be,
Baby won't you carry me back to Tennessee.
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so many things happen to him that its so obvious he only fits in at one place in the whole world.
So deadheads who have been with the band since the 60's cant understand it if they werent at bonaroo? that might be the dumbest thing ive ever heard. have fun in homeroom tomorrow yeahyouknowme
to me, this song defines the dead, maybe just because it's my favorite, but, a song about drinking, working, gambling, and most importantly not fitting in is totally 100% GRATEFUL DEAD... i think hunter wrote this about how all of the authority and upperclass citizens feel about the dead's rebelious carefree attitude toawrds life esp. jerry garcia
It was written by Levon Helm
It was written by Levon Helm
Ahhh bonnaroo was insane man. 04' and 03' over here biitch.
I wouldn't say you don't understand the song unless you were at Bonnaroo, but this was the most "appropriate" song at the whole venue.
hahaha nice I love this song
On the morning I left New England to move to Tennessee in 1980 I called the local rock station to request this song. Just after I got on the road I turned on the radio and heard, "Baby won't you carry me... back to Tennessee" Nice.
To me, these lyrics are sooo acid drenched. By that I mean the way they play on the words "Tennessee Jed".
It can be a guy there named Jed.
Then again, is the singer named "Jed"?
If the doggy turned to him and said "better head back to Tennessee Jed" is the comma missing on purpose?
I can totally see them sitting around laughing at the way those two words can be used. I happen to think Jerry is Jed here. His dog confirms it.
The first line - "Cold iron shackles - ball and chain" - are on the narrator's leg.
In the chorus, he's asking to be carried back to Tennessee because he can't walk there.
you don't understand this song unless you were at bonnaroo