Tom: Am

          Am                  G                 Am
1. I was sittin' beside the road in Blackjack County,
                           G             E
    not knowing that the Sheriff paid a bounty,
         Am                G             F              E         
    for men like me that didn't have a penny to their names.
           Am               G              Am        G       Am
    So he locked my leg to 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
 

        Am             G                 Am
2. And all we had to eat was bread and water,
                            G                E
    and each day we had to build the road a mile and a quarter.
            Am                      G                  
    And a black snake whip, would cut our backs, 
          F                  E         
    when some poor fool complained.
            Am                          G             Am       G       Am
    But we couldn't fight back wearing 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
         Am                        G             Am
3. And then one night while the Sheriff was a-sleeping,
                    G                 E
    we all gathered round him slowly creeping,
        Am              G              F                      E   ~
   and Heaven help me to forget that night in the cold cold rain,
            Am                         G              Am        G       Am
   when we beat him to death with the 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
   

             Am                  G               Am
4. Now the whip marks have all healed and I'm thankful,
                                   G             E
    that there's nothing but the scar around my ankle.
         Am                G               F           E     
    But most of all I'm glad no man will be a slave again,
           Am                  G              Am        G      Am
    to a black snake whip, and 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.
               G      Am               G       Am
    Blackjack County chain, Blackjack County chain....