Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang   Breaking rocks and serving my time   Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang   Because they done convicted me of crime      Hold it steady right there while I hit it   Well, reckon that ought to get it   Been working and working   But I still got so terribly far to go      I committed crime Lord I needed   Crime of being hungry and poor   I left the grocery store man breathing   When they caught me robbing his store      Hold it steady right there while I hit it   Well, reckon that ought to get it   Been working and working   But I still got so terribly far to go      I heard the judge say five years   On chain-gang you gonna go   I heard the judge say five years labor   I heard my old man scream Lordy, no!      Hold it right there while I hit it   Well, reckon that ought to get it   Been working and working   But I still got so terribly far to go      Gonna see my sweet honey bee   Gonna break this chain off to run   I'm gonna lay down somewhere shady   Lord, I sure am hot in the sun      Hold it right there while I hit it   Well, reckon that ought to get it   Been workin' and workin'   Been workin' and slavin'   An' workin' and workin'   But I still got so terribly far to go