These are the words of a frontier man
Who lost his love when he turned bad.

Take a message to Mary
But don´t tell here where I am

Take a message to Mary
But don´t say I´m in a jam
You can tell her that I had to see the world
Tell her that my ship set sail
You can say she´d 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 her what I´ve done
Please, don´t mention the stage coach
And the shot from a carried gun
You better tell her that I had to change my plans
And cancel out the wedding-day
But please, don´t mention the lonely cell
Where I´m gonna pine away, until my dying-day.

Take a message to Mary

But don´t tell her all you know
My heart is aching for Mary
Lord know I miss her so
Just tell her that I went to Timbukto
Tell her I´m searching for gold
You can say she better find someone new
To cherish and to hold, oh Lord, this cell is so cold.