Intro
N.G# F Cm
Every mornin' finds me moanin'
N.G# F Cm
Life's a losing gamble to me
N.G# F Cm
Cause of all the trouble I see
N.G# F Cm
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
N.G# F Cm
Every evenin' finds me moanin'
N.G# F Cm
I'm alone and I'm crying the blues
N.G# F Cm
I'm so tired of paying my dues
N.G# F Cm
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
[Verse 1]
Cm
Breaking out here rocks on the chain gang
Cm
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Cm
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
Cm G7
Lord I've been convicted me of crime
Cm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Cm
I reckon that ought to get it
Fm Cm
Been working, lord, been working here
Cm
I got a long way to go
[Verse 2]
Cm
I committed crime lord I needed
Cm
Crime of being hungry and poor
Cm
I left the grocery store man bleeding
Cm G7
Lordy caught me robbing his store
Cm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Cm
I reckon that ought to get it
Fm Cm
Been working here, lord, been working here
Cm
I got a long way to go
[Verse 3]
Cm
I heard the judge say five years labor
Cm
On chain-gang you gonna go
Cm
I heard the judge say five years labor
G7
I heard my woman scream "lordy, no!"
Cm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Cm
I reckon that ought to get it
Fm Cm
Been working here, working, oh lord
Fm Cm
I got so terribly far to go
[Verse 4]
Cm
I gotta go make or break 'cause I'm grievin'
Cm
Gotta break my chains off to run
Cm
And if the boss man stops me from leavin'
G7
I tell you, lord I'm gonna get him one
Cm
Hold him steady right there while I hit him
Cm
I reckon that ought to get it
Fm Cm Fm Cm
Been working lord, been working, oh lord
Cm
I got a long way to go
[Outro]
Fm G#m G7 Cm A# G# G7 Cm
Lord, I'm moanin', I'm moanin', oh lord...