Worried Man Blues
Woody Guthrie and Cisco Houston Lyrics
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It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
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
I went across the river and I laid down to sleep
I went across the river and I laid down to sleep
When I woke up, I had shackles on my feet
Twenty-one links of chain around my leg
Twenty-one links of chain around my leg
Twenty-one links of chain around my leg
And on each link, is initial of my name
[Chorus]
I asked that judge, what's gonna be my fine
I asked the judge, tell me, what's gonna be my fine
I asked the judge, tell me, what's gonna be my fine
Twenty one years on the Rocky Mountain Line
Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime
Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime
Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime
Twenty-one years and I still got ninety-nine
[Chorus]
If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"
If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"
If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"
Tell 'em t'was me and I done been here and gone
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Woody Guthrie's "Worried Man Blues" address the theme of imprisonment and regret. The song is about a protagonist who is reflecting on his past actions and the consequences that follow. The chorus repeats the phrase "It takes a worried man to sing a worried song/I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long," emphasizing the idea that the singer is both anxious about his current situation and hopeful for the future. The verses are structured in a call-and-response pattern, where the first line is repeated three times before moving onto the next.
The first verse describes the singer going to sleep and then waking up to find himself in shackles. The second verse reveals that he has received a sentence of twenty-one years on the Rocky Mountain Line for his crime. The last verse includes more call-and-response, with the singer asserting that he wrote the song and has come and gone.
Overall, "Worried Man Blues" is a reflection of the struggles and hardships of everyday life. It speaks to the universal experience of feeling worried and uncertain about the future, while also offering a message of hope and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
It takes a worried man to sing a worried song
Only a person who is worried can truly express their pain through their music.
I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long
I am worried at the moment, but I know that it won't last forever.
I went across the river and I laid down to sleep
I crossed the river and went to sleep.
When I woke up, I had shackles on my feet
When I awoke, I realized that I had been put in chains.
Twenty-one links of chain around my leg
There were twenty-one chains wrapped around my leg.
And on each link, is initial of my name
Each chain had my initials inscribed on them.
I asked the judge, tell me, what's gonna be my fine
I asked the judge what the punishment for my crime was going to be.
Twenty-one years on the Rocky Mountain Line
The punishment was twenty-one years of hard labor on the Rocky Mountain Line.
Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime
I must serve twenty-one years to pay for my crime.
Twenty-one years and I still got ninety-nine
Even after serving twenty-one years, I still have a long time left to pay for my actions.
If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"
If anyone asks who wrote this song.
Tell 'em t'was me and I done been here and gone
Tell them it was me, but I am no longer present.
[Chorus]
The repeated chorus emphasizes the feeling of worry and the fleeting nature of it.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: A.P. CARTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind