| D | D | G | D |
| G | D | D | A |
| A | D | D | G |
| G | D | A | D |

[Verse 1]
D                G             D
I got rid of the shackles that bound me
                                A7
And the guards who were always around me
       D           G          D             G
Like a bird in the tree, I've found my liberty
        D             A          D
And I'm free from the chain gang now

[Verse 2]
               G            D
Long ago I was known and respected
                              A7
Then one day I was falsely suspected
         D         G               D          G
And they put me in chains, working out in the rains
        D             A          D
But I'm free from the chain gang now

[Interlude]
| D | D | D | A7 |
| A7 | D | D | G |
(yodel)
| G | D | D | A7 |
| A | D | D | G |
| G | D | A | D |

[Verse 3]
                        G         D
I know my mother's poor heart was broken
                                    A7
'Cause she knew that an untruth was spoken
           D            G              D          G
There were tears on the mail, that she sent me in jail
        D             A7         D
But I'm free from the chain gang now

[Verse 4]
                    G          D
All the years I was known by a number
                                     A
Were just years that I spent without slumber
      D             G             D           G
After long years of shame, I have won back my name
        D             A          D
And I'm free from the chain gang now

[Interlude]
| D | D | D | A7 |
| A7 | D | D | G |
(yodel)
| G | D | D | A7 |
| A | D | D | G |
| G | D | A | D |

[Verse 5]
                   G         D
Now I'm going back home to another
                                       A
She's my sweetheart who's waiting with mother
         D           G                  D            G
And I'll dry all the tears, that's been shedding for years
           D             A          D
'Cause I'm free from the chain gang now

[Outro]
| D | D | D | A7 |
| A7 | D | D |
(yodel)