Am E E/G Am

[Verse 1]
      Am                  G                 Am
I was standin' beside the road in Blackjack County
    Am          G              E
Not knowing the sheriff paid a bounty
   Am             G             F              E
For men like me who didn't have a penny to their names
      Am               G                     E         E/G   Am
So he locked my leg to thirty-five pounds of Blackjack County chain

[Verse 2]
    Am           G                Am
And all we had to eat was bread and water
         Am            G                 E
And each day we had to build that road a  mile and a quarter
  Am                     G                  F                 E
A black snake whip would crack our backs if some poor fool complained
        Am                          G                     E         E/G    Am
And you couldn't fight back wearin' thirty-five pounds of Blackjack County chain

[Verse 3]
    Am                      G             Am
And then one night when the sheriff was a-sleepin'
   Am             G               E
We gathered all around him slowly creepin'
Am             G              F                       E
Heaven help me to forget that night in the cold, cold rain
        Am                     G                     E         E/G    Am
When we beat him to death with thirty-five pounds of Blackjack County chain

[Interlude]
Am E E/G Am
Am E E/G Am

[Verse 4]
        Am                  G               Am
Now the whip marks have all healed and I am thankful
             Am                G               E
That there's nothing but these scars around my ankles
    Am              G                F           E
But most of all I'm glad no man will be a slave again
     Am                   G                     E         E/G    Am
To a black snake whip and thirty-five pounds of Blackjack County chain
     Am                   G                     E         E/G    Am
To a black snake whip and thirty-five pounds of Blackjack County chain
E         E/G    Am
Blackjack County chain
E         E/G    Am
Blackjack County chain