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 I carefree lad that love to roam but Lord I wish I'd stayed at home The way it looks I'll prob'ly 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 [ ac.guitar ] The guard stands there with a great big gun I bet he'd love to see me run And I guess I prob'ly 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 the sun must've touched his brain I dig that ditch... [ dobro ] I gat a gal back home that's sweet and kind and she's been waitin' a long long time I just told her to forget my name I won't ever live down to shame Lord deliver me from this hole before I lose my mind and soul The place gets weak and the back gets broke ain't no cause to laugh and joke I dig that ditch... Work like a dog on a chain gang work like a dog on a chain gang