Work Song

Go down … Hannah go down

And stay down…

Breakin’ up these rocks on-a chain gang

Breakin’ rocks and servin’ my time

Breakin’ up these rocks on-a chain gang

‘cause I been convicted of a crime

Hold it steady right there while I hit it … huh!

Oh, reckon that ought-a get it

Been workin’ … I been workin’

But, I got me so terrible long to go

I been convicted of the crime, Lord, of needin’

Crime of bein’ hungry and poor

Had-a leave some grocery man bleedin’

When he found me robbin’ his store

Hold it steady right there while I hit it … huh!

Oh, reckon that ought-a get it

Been workin’ … I been workin’

But, I got me so terrible long to go

Heard a judge say, “Five years labor

To the chain gang you got-a go”

Heard a judge say, “Five years labor”

Heard my woman scream, “Lordy, no!”

Hold it steady right there while I hit it … huh!

Oh, reckon that ought-a get it

Been workin’ … I been workin’

But, I got me so terrible long to go

Captain told me, “You got to watch your behavior…

If you’re gonna work just like a natural born man”

I told the captain, “You’d be meetin’ your Savior…

You come on close to this hammer in my hand”

Hold him steady right there while I hit him … huh!

Oh, reckon that ought-a get him

Been workin’ … I been workin’

But, I got me so terrible long to go

I wanna see my sweet, honey baby

I got to break these chains off and run

I wanna lay my head where it’s shady

Lord knows it’s hot in this sun.

Hold it steady right there while I hit it … huh!

Oh, reckon that ought-a get it

Been workin’ … I been workin’

But, I got me so terrible long to go

See I been workin’ … I been workin’…

But, I got me so terrible long to go…

You know I got me so terrible long to go…

Lord … I got me so damn long to go!