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 â'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 â'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 â'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 â'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