I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
Tennessee is where I gotta be
I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
'Cause my sweetheart's waiting
By that Tennessee Christmas tree

I had a layover
In Tuscon Arizona
Sleeping by the road in a sac
Hitched a ride with a rover
To Tucson Oklahoma
I never thought
I'd find my way back
I got into a ruckus
With a cowboy in Nantucket
Spent the night locked in the can
I met a hustler from Miami
On his way to Cincinnati
Told me
'Son, you're gonna need a better plan!'

Oh the road is just
So lonesome Darlin'
So I keep singing my song
'Cause I gotta make
Christmas in sweet ol' Tennessee

I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
Tennessee is where I gotta be
I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
'Cause my sweetheart's waiting
By that Tennessee Christmas tree

I caught a ride to San Diego
Inside a winnebago
But it broke down on the 101
Now I'm sipping a Corona
On my way to Oklahoma
Walking underneath
The Tallahassee sun

I tried to swim across the bayou
And ran into a guy who
Told me that he knew the way
So now I'm eating jambalaya
Saying prayers to my messiah
Swimming circles out in Matagorda Bay

Oh the road is just so lonesome Darlin'
So I keep singing my song
'Cause I gotta make
Christmas in sweet ol' Tennessee

I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
Tennessee is where I gotta be
I gotta get back
To Tennessee for Christmas
'Cause my sweetheart's waiting
By that Tennessee Christmas tree