T'was on a Monday
Monday I was 'rested
An' on a Tuesday
Tuesday I was tried
An' on a Wednesday
Wednesday I was sentenced
An' on a Thursday, Lordy
On a Thursday chain gang boun'!

Hard luck done found me
Great God it fell all around me
I stayed in prison
Can't you people see?
Chain gang is my home
Jail house is my stoppin' place
Don't care about it, Lordy
'Cause it sho' is a low down place.

Work in de country,
Work 'round de jail house yard
Give me no money
Work me so damn hard
Lord, I got ten years
Ten years to bill my time
To worry chain gang
Chain gang off my mind!