Ride this train to Pionridge Mississippi see that levee there 

It's built to hold back the waters of Ol' Man River when he gets on a rampage 

And he gets on a rampage believe me 

One of these days he's gonna come right over that levee 

And we're gonna have to head for the hills again 

And you know how that levee was built Mister 

Not with machines it is built with elbow grease 

They got the men off the farms out of the houses 

Even out of the honky tonks on Saturday night 

I don't hardly know how it happened to me it happens fast 

I just remember I was in the Green Lantern in Natchez one Saturday night 

And somebody pulled a knife and somebody threw the bottle 

And the next thing I knew I had a chain on my leg and a shovel in my hand 

It seemed like the whole world come down on me 

They whipped us like miles and when they did feed us 

There was always a fight or a killin' over who's gonna get the biggest piece of meet 

Whereas the boss man did't care about the killin' 

That is less you killed a good worker then you get killed 

If you complain about anything he just liable to give you a chance to get away 

You know what I mean 

They take the chains off your legs and beg you to run so they can shoot you