Intro
N.A# G Dm
Every mornin' finds me moanin'
N.A# G Dm
Life's a losing gamble to me
N.A# G Dm
Cause of all the trouble I see
N.A# G Dm
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
N.A# G Dm
Every evenin' finds me moanin'
N.A# G Dm
I'm alone and I'm crying the blues
N.A# G Dm
I'm so tired of paying my dues
N.A# G Dm
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
[Verse 1]
Dm
Breaking out here rocks on the chain gang
Dm
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Dm
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
Dm A7
Lord I've been convicted me of crime
Dm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Dm
I reckon that ought to get it
Gm Dm
Been working, lord, been working here
Dm
I got a long way to go
[Verse 2]
Dm
I committed crime lord I needed
Dm
Crime of being hungry and poor
Dm
I left the grocery store man bleeding
Dm A7
Lordy caught me robbing his store
Dm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Dm
I reckon that ought to get it
Gm Dm
Been working here, lord, been working here
Dm
I got a long way to go
[Verse 3]
Dm
I heard the judge say five years labor
Dm
On chain-gang you gonna go
Dm
I heard the judge say five years labor
A7
I heard my woman scream "lordy, no!"
Dm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Dm
I reckon that ought to get it
Gm Dm
Been working here, working, oh lord
Gm Dm
I got so terribly far to go
[Verse 4]
Dm
I gotta go make or break 'cause I'm grievin'
Dm
Gotta break my chains off to run
Dm
And if the boss man stops me from leavin'
A7
I tell you, lord I'm gonna get him one
Dm
Hold him steady right there while I hit him
Dm
I reckon that ought to get it
Gm Dm Gm Dm
Been working lord, been working, oh lord
Dm
I got a long way to go
[Outro]
Gm A#m A7 Dm C A# A7 Dm
Lord, I'm moanin', I'm moanin', oh lord...