Christy Moore - Black Jack County Chain

Am G Am
i was sittin’ beside the road in black jack county .
G E
not knowing that that the sheriff paid a bounty ,
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for men like me that didn’t have a penny to their name .
G Am E Am
so he locked my leg to 35 pounds of black jack county chains .
G Am
and all we had to eat was bread and water ,
G E
and each day we built the road a mile and a quarter ,
Am G F Am
a black snake whip , would cut our back , when some poor fool complained ,
G Am E Am
but we couldn’t fight back wearing 35 pounds of black jack county chains .
G Am
one night while the sheriff was a sleeping ,
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we all gathered round him slowly creeping ,
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and heaven help me to forget that night in the cold cold rain ,
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when we beat him to death with 35 pounds of black jack county chains .
now the whip marks are all healed and i’m thankful ,
there’s nothing but the scar around my ankle .
but most of all i’m glad no man will be a slave again ,
to a black snake whip , and 35 pounds of black jack county chain .