I was sitting beside the road in Black Jack county
Not knowing that the sheriff paid a bounty
For me like me that haven't got a penny to their name
So he locked my legs to 35 pounds of Black Jack county chain

And all we had to eat was bread and water
And everyday we had to build that road a mile and a quarter
A black snake whip would cut our backs
And so poor fool'd complain
And you couldn't fight back wearing 35 pounds of Black Jack county chain

And then one night while the sheriff was a-sleepin'
We all gathered 'round him slowly creepin'
And heaven help me to forget that night in the cold cold rain
When we beat him to death with 35 pounds of Black Jack county chain

Well the whip marks have all healed and I'm thankful
That there's nothing but the scars 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