A  D  E  A

[Verse 1]
A                D
I was just a kid roaming around
E                A
Traveling thru a little old town
A                        D
A man walked up and said come with me
A    E                 A
Your broken son that's vagrancy
A                D
A care-free lad that loved to roam but
E                A
Lord I wish I'd-a stayed at home
A                        D
The way it looks I'll probably hang
A    E                 A
Cause there ain't no hope on a chain gang

[Chorus]
  D                A
I dig that ditch I chop that corn
  E                  A
I curse the day that I was born
A                           D
I believe it's better for a man to hang
D       E                    A
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang

[Break 1]
A  D  E  A

[Verse 2]
A                D
The guard stands there with a great big gun
E                A
I bet he'd love to see me run
A                        D
And I guess I probably will someday
A    E                 A
I'd rather be dead than to live this way
A                D
He's well-fed and he's six-foot tall
E                A
And he's the meanest of them all
A                        D
He cracks that whip and he swings that cane
A    E                 A
That sun must've touched his brain

[Chorus]
  D                A
I dig that ditch I chop that corn
  E                  A
I curse the day that I was born
A                           D
I believe it's better for a man to hang
D       E                    A
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang

[Break 2]
A  D  E  A  D  E  A

[Verse 3]
A                D
I got a gal back home that's sweet and kind
E                A
But she's been waiting a long long time
A                        D
I just told her to forget my name
A    E                 A
I won't ever live down the shame
A                D
Lord deliver me from his hole
E                A
Before I lose my mind and soul
A                        D
The flesh gets weak and the back gets broke
A    E                 A
There ain't no cause to laugh and joke

[Chorus]
  D                A
I dig that ditch I chop that corn
  E                  A
I curse the day that I was born
A                           D
I believe it's better for a man to hang
D       E                    A
Than to work like a dog on a chain gang
E                    A
Work like a dog on a chain gang
E                    A
Work like a dog on a chain gang