Intro:  HOT spanish flamenco guitar 
 
Verse 1: 
   E5           D5 
As I was riding across the Mississippi 
  E5                  D5 
I stopped there and I cried. 
  E5                D5             G5 
No use for a man to keep a mighty river 
G5               D5 
All damned up inside. 
 
Verse 2: 

I jumped bail from the Sweetwater County 

Now I'm on the run 

On my head's, a 5 number bounty 

For a crime, I never done. 
 
Chorus: 
          B5 
Take this Letter to Laredo 
F#5 
To the one I love 
B5 
Tell her to stay low, 
F#5 
'neath the clouds above 
    G5                 D5 
Her love's my only alibi 
     B5              G5 
It's for her love I lied 
  D5           A5 
Yeah,  yeah, yeah 
 
Verse 3: 

Why did Frankie have to pull that trigger 

Why did you have to hide 

Sherriff thinks I was standin' with her 

It's for her love I lied 
 
Love will make a free man a prisoner 

Make an honest man lie 

Love can be tough love can be tender 

It's my only alibi 
 
Chorus 
 
Break:  same chords as verse 
 
Chorus: 
          B5 
Take this Letter to Laredo 
F#5 
To the one I love 
B5 
Tell her to stay low, 
F#5 
'neath the clouds above 
    G5                 D5 
Her love's my only alibi 
     B5              G5 
It's for her love I lied 
  D5        F#5 
Yeah,  yeeaaahhh 
 
Repeat Bm and F# and fade out