[Chorus]
Breaking rock out here on the chain gang
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Breaking rock out here on the chain gang
'Cause I’ve been convicted of a crime
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, working
But I still got so terribly far to go
Hey, yeah, yeah
[Chorus]
Breaking rock out here on the chain gang
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Breaking rock out here on the chain gang
'Cause I’ve been convicted of a crime
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, I been working
And I still got so terribly far to go
[Verse 1]
I committed crime, Lord, I needed
Crime of being hungry and poor
Left the grocery store, man bleeding
When they caught me robbing his store
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, I've been working
And I still got so far to go
[Verse 2]
I heard the judge say five years hard labor
On a chain-gang you gotta go
I heard the judge say five years hard labor
I heard my daddy say, "Oh, Lordy, no"
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I've been working, I've been working
And I still got so terribly far to go, oh
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
Wanna see my sweet honey baby
Wanna break off these chains and run
Wanna lay down somewhere shady
'Cause it sure is hot in the sun
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I been working, I been working
And I still got so far to go
[Chorus]
Breaking a big rock on the chain gang
Breaking rocks and serving my time
Breaking rock out here on the chain gang
'Cause I’ve been convicted of a crime
[Refrain]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
I been working, I been working
Ooh, still got so terribly far to go
I been working, working
Ooh, still got so far to go
I been working, working
And I still got, got so terribly far to go
Hey, oh
Work Song was written by Nat Adderley & Oscar Brown Jr..
Ledisi & Metropole Orkest released Work Song on Fri Jul 23 2021.