This is another Nina Simone Song from the "High Priestess of Soul" album recently used
in a TV advert as most great songs eventually are. Nat Adderley whilst a Jazz legend in
his own right, was Cannonball Adderley's brother.
All verses apart from the extension on the last one are the same. There is a little riff
before the Ams at the start of the verses (a bit like the "Hootchie Coochie Man" riff),
and extensive uses of stops on each line until Been Workin' an' Workin' which swings free.
Verse 1
[Am]
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
[Am]
Breaking rocks and serving my time
[Am]
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
[E7]
Because they done convicted me of crime
[Am]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
[Am]
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
[Am] [D7]
Been working and working
[B7] [E7] [Am]
But I still got so terribly far to go
Verse 2
[Am]
I committed crime Lord I needed
[Am]
Crime of being hungry and poor
[Am]
I left the grocery store man bleeding
[E7]
When they caught me robbing his store
[Am]
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
[Am]
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
[Am] [D7]
Been working and working
[B7] [E7] [Am]
But I still got so terribly far to go
Verse 3
[Am]
I heard the judge say five years
[Am]
On chain-gang you gonna go
[Am]
I heard the judge say five years labor
[E7]
I heard my old man scream "Lordy, no!"
[Am]
Hold it right there while I hit it
[Am]
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
[Am] [D7]
Been working and working
[B7] [E7] [Am]
But I still got so terribly far to go
Verse 4
[Am]
Gonna see my sweet honey bee
[Am]
Gonna break this chain off to run
[Am]
Gonna lay down somewhere shady
[E7]
Lord I sure am hot in the sun
[Am]
Hold it right there while I hit it
[Am]
Well, I reckon that ought to get it
[Am] [D7]
Been workin' and workin'
[Am] [D7]
Been workin' and slavin'
[Am] [D7]
An' workin' and workin'
[E7] [Am] [E7]
But I still got so terribly far to go
