(D) Take 'em away (G) take 'em away Lord 
(D) Take away these (A) chains from me 
(D) My heart is broken cause my (G) spirit's not free 
(D) Lord take away these (A) chains from (D) me 

(D) Some birds' feathers are too (G) bright to be caged 
(D) I know I'm not that colourful but a (A) bird just the same 
(D) Open up your gate now let me (G) put down my load 
(D) So I can feel at ease and go (A) back to my (D) home 

All other verses the same as above

(Chorus)

Sun beatin' down, my legs can't seem to stand
There's a boss man at a turnrow with a rifle in his hand
I've got nine child, nothin' in the pan
My wife she died hungry while I was plowin' land

(Chorus)

Can't see when I go to work, can't see when I get off
How do you expect a man not to get lost
Every year I just keep getting deeper in debt
If there's a happy day, Lord, I haven't seen one yet

(Chorus)

Land that I love is the land that I'm workin'
But it's hard to love it all the time when your back is a-hurtin'
Gettin' too old now to push this here plow
Please let me lay down so I can look at the clouds

(Chorus)

Land that I know is where two rivers collide
The Brazos the Navaso and the big blue sky
Flood plains, freight trains, watermelon vines
Of any place on God's green earth, this is where I choose to die

(Chorus)