When you hear that I am dying and my song it should be sung.
Just say I lived the way I pleased and spoke with a free man’s tongue.
So when they hit me to the stone, and closed my grass to cell.
I don’t want no crying on my grave, just a ring of that charming bell.

And you can tone the bell easy; tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.
I said tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.

When I was just a cabin boy on the freighter Annalee 
the first mate was a salty dog and this he said to me.
I take the women wine and song and life will serve me well 
‘cause brother it will be to late when they ring that final bell.

And you can tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.
Hear me now man, tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.

From sea till sea and pole to pole I followed my roving mind.
I spent the gold of a king or two and drunk some heavy wine 
and in heaven it can’t offer me the joys I used to know.
I hope they turn the box around and sending me down below.

And you can tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.
Hear me now man, tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.

Things that I have done for love I never could relate.
I past from a woman’s loving arms to the hands of cruel fate.
But if a young girl passes by and my chest it doesn’t swell, 
just roll me down to the burning gates and ring that devils bell.

And you can tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.
Hear me now man, tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down.
Come on now, tone the bell easy, tone it all around, Lordy
Tone the bell easy I want to lay my body down, 
I want to lay my body down, I want to lay my body down.