I was just a kid roamin' around Travelin' through, a little ol' town A man walked up and said come with me You're broke and son that's vagrancy A carefree lad that love to roam But Lord I wish I'd stayed at home The way it looks I'll probably hang' Cause there ain't no hope on a chain gang I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang The guard stands there with a great big gun I bet he'd love to see me run And I guess, I probably will some day I'd rather be dead than to live this way He's well fed and he's six foot tall And he's a meanest of them all He cracks that whip and he swings that cane That sun must've touched his brain I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang I got a gal back home that's sweet and kind But she's been waitin' a long, long time I just told her to forget my name I won't ever live down the shame Lord, deliver me from this hole Before I lose my mind and soul The flesh gets weak and the back gets broke There ain't no 'cause to laugh and joke I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang
I was just a kid roamin' around Travelin' through, a little ol' town A man walked up and said come with me You're broke and son that's vagrancy A carefree lad that love to roam But Lord I wish I'd stayed at home The way it looks I'll probably hang' Cause there ain't no hope on a chain gang I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang The guard stands there with a great big gun I bet he'd love to see me run And I guess, I probably will some day I'd rather be dead than to live this way He's well fed and he's six foot tall And he's a meanest of them all He cracks that whip and he swings that cane That sun must've touched his brain I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang I got a gal back home that's sweet and kind But she's been waitin' a long, long time I just told her to forget my name I won't ever live down the shame Lord, deliver me from this hole Before I lose my mind and soul The flesh gets weak and the back gets broke There ain't no 'cause to laugh and joke I dig that ditch, I chop that corn I curse the day that I was born I believe it's better for a man to hang Than to work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang Work like a dog on a chain gang
