Intro
N.D B F#m
Every mornin' finds me moanin'
N.D B F#m
Life's a losing gamble to me
N.D B F#m
Cause of all the trouble I see
N.D B F#m
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
N.D B F#m
Every evenin' finds me moanin'
N.D B F#m
I'm alone and I'm crying the blues
N.D B F#m
I'm so tired of paying my dues
N.D B F#m
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
[Verse 1]
F#m
Breaking out here rocks on the chain gang
F#m
Breaking rocks and serving my time
F#m
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
F#m C#7
Lord I've been convicted me of crime
F#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
F#m
I reckon that ought to get it
Bm F#m
Been working, lord, been working here
F#m
I got a long way to go
[Verse 2]
F#m
I committed crime lord I needed
F#m
Crime of being hungry and poor
F#m
I left the grocery store man bleeding
F#m C#7
Lordy caught me robbing his store
F#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
F#m
I reckon that ought to get it
Bm F#m
Been working here, lord, been working here
F#m
I got a long way to go
[Verse 3]
F#m
I heard the judge say five years labor
F#m
On chain-gang you gonna go
F#m
I heard the judge say five years labor
C#7
I heard my woman scream "lordy, no!"
F#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
F#m
I reckon that ought to get it
Bm F#m
Been working here, working, oh lord
Bm F#m
I got so terribly far to go
[Verse 4]
F#m
I gotta go make or break 'cause I'm grievin'
F#m
Gotta break my chains off to run
F#m
And if the boss man stops me from leavin'
C#7
I tell you, lord I'm gonna get him one
F#m
Hold him steady right there while I hit him
F#m
I reckon that ought to get it
Bm F#m Bm F#m
Been working lord, been working, oh lord
F#m
I got a long way to go
[Outro]
Bm Dm C#7 F#m E D C#7 F#m
Lord, I'm moanin', I'm moanin', oh lord...