It takes a worried man to sing a worried song (3x)
I'm worried now but I won't be worried long

I went across the river and I lay down to sleep (3x)
And I woke up with shackles on my feet.

Twenty links of chain around my leg (3x)
And on each link an initial of my name

I asked the judge what might be the fine, (3x)
Twenty-one years--but I got ninety-nine

Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime (3x)
Twenty-one years--but I got ninety-nine

The train arrived, sixteen coaches long, (3x)
The girl I love is on that train and gone

I looked down the track as far as I could see, (3x)
Little bitty hand was waving after me

If anyone should ask you who composed this song, (3x)
Tell them it was I and I sing it all day long

Found this in an old songbook that I have had for 35 years or more. No cover, no idea what it is or who sang these. Hope it helps.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 1-Aug-02.