Oscar Brown jr, Nat Adderley 

    

  Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang

Breaking rocks and serving my time

Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang

Because they done convicted me of crime

Hold it steady right there while I hit it

well reckon that ought to get it

been

working and working

but I still got so terribly far to go



I commited crime Lord I needed

Crime of being hungry and poor

I left the grocery store man bleeding (breathing?)

When they caught me robbing his store

Hold it steady right there while I hit it

Well reckon that ought to get it

been

working and working

but I still got so terribly far to go



I heard the judge say five years

On chain-gang you gonna go

I heard the judge say five years labor

I heard my old man scream "Lordy, no!"

Hold it right there while I hit it

well reckon that ought to get it

been

working and working

but I still got so terribly far to go



Gonna see my sweet honey bee

Gonna break this chain off to run

Gonna lay down somewhere shady

Lord I sure am hot in the sun

Hold it right there while I hit it

well reckon that ought to get it

been

workin' and workin'

been

workin' and slavin'

an'

workin' and workin'

but I still got so terribly far to go