Intro
N.F# D# A#m
Every mornin' finds me moanin'
N.F# D# A#m
Life's a losing gamble to me
N.F# D# A#m
Cause of all the trouble I see
N.F# D# A#m
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
N.F# D# A#m
Every evenin' finds me moanin'
N.F# D# A#m
I'm alone and I'm crying the blues
N.F# D# A#m
I'm so tired of paying my dues
N.F# D# A#m
Everybody knows I'm moanin'
[Verse 1]
A#m
Breaking out here rocks on the chain gang
A#m
Breaking rocks and serving my time
A#m
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
A#m F7
Lord I've been convicted me of crime
A#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
A#m
I reckon that ought to get it
D#m A#m
Been working, lord, been working here
A#m
I got a long way to go
[Verse 2]
A#m
I committed crime lord I needed
A#m
Crime of being hungry and poor
A#m
I left the grocery store man bleeding
A#m F7
Lordy caught me robbing his store
A#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
A#m
I reckon that ought to get it
D#m A#m
Been working here, lord, been working here
A#m
I got a long way to go
[Verse 3]
A#m
I heard the judge say five years labor
A#m
On chain-gang you gonna go
A#m
I heard the judge say five years labor
F7
I heard my woman scream "lordy, no!"
A#m
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
A#m
I reckon that ought to get it
D#m A#m
Been working here, working, oh lord
D#m A#m
I got so terribly far to go
[Verse 4]
A#m
I gotta go make or break 'cause I'm grievin'
A#m
Gotta break my chains off to run
A#m
And if the boss man stops me from leavin'
F7
I tell you, lord I'm gonna get him one
A#m
Hold him steady right there while I hit him
A#m
I reckon that ought to get it
D#m A#m D#m A#m
Been working lord, been working, oh lord
A#m
I got a long way to go
[Outro]
D#m F#m F7 A#m G# F# F7 A#m
Lord, I'm moanin', I'm moanin', oh lord...