i went across the river i lay down to sleep i went across the river i lay down to sleep when i woke up had shackles on my feet it takes a worried man to sing a worried song it takes a worried man to sing a worried song i m worried now but i won t be worried long twenty one links of chain around my leg twenty one links of chain around my leg and on each link s an initial of my name i asked that judge what s gonna be my fine i asked that judge what s gonna be my fine twenty one years on the rocky mountain line that train pulled out twenty one coaches long that train pulled out twenty one coaches long and the woman i love is on that train and gone twenty one years pay my awful crime twenty one years pay my awful crime tweny one years and i still got ninety nine