Grateful Dead - Tennessee Jed - Live 1991

Live at RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., June 14, 1991

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

Songwriters: Jerome J. Garcia / Robert C. Hunter