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