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