Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
Cause I been convicted of crime
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, working
but I still got so terribly far to go
I commited crime Lord of needing
Crime of being hungry and poor
I left the grocery store man breathing
When he caught me robbing his store
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
I heard the judge say five years
On the chain-gang you're gonna go
I heard the judge say five years labour
I heard my old man scream Lordy, no!
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Gonna see my sweet honey baby
Gonna break this chain off the rock
Gonna lay down somewhere shady
Lord it sure is hot in the sun
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
well I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, working
but I still got so terribly far to go
Oscar Brown Jr and Nat Adderley