Steve Earle

^E I was fresh out of the service
It was ^A back in ‘82
^E I raised some Cain when I ^B came back to ^A town
^E Meant to be all I could be
^A Come home without a clue
^E Married Dawn and ^B had to settle d ^E own
So I ^E hired on at the prison
Guess I a ^A lways knew I would
^E Just like my dad and ^B both my uncles ^A done
^E Worked on every cell block
Now, ^A things're goin' good
Then they ^E transferred me to ^B Ellis Unit ^E One
^A Swing ^B low
^E Swing ^A low
Swing low and ^B carry me ^E home ^{A B E A B E
E} Now, my daddy used to talk about them l ^A ong nights at the walls
And ^E how they used to ^B strap ‘em in the ^A chair
^E The kids down from the college and ^A they'd bring their beer ‘n all
^E When the lights went out, a ^B cheer rose in the ^A air
I guess ^E folks just got too civilized
^A Old Sparky's gatherin' dust
^E No one wants to ^B touch a smokin' ^A gun
^E Ehey got that injection now
They don't ^A mind as much, I guess
^E Put ‘em down o ^B7 n Ellis Uni ^E t One
^A Swing ^B low
^E Swing ^A low
Swing low and ^B carry me ^E hom ^A e ^{B E A B E
E} Well, I've seen ‘em fight like lions, boys
^A I've seen 'em go like lambs
^E And I've helped to drag ‘e ^B m when they could no ^A t stand
^E And I've heard their mamas cryin' when they ^A heard that big door slam
^E I've seen the victim's ^B family's holdin' ^E hands
^E Last night I dreamed that I woke up with ^A straps across my chest
^E And something cold and black ^B pullin' through my ^A lungs
^E Even Jesus couldn't save me though I ^A know he did his best
But he ^E don't live on E ^B llis Unit ^E One
^A Swing ^B low
^E Swing ^A low
Swing low and ^B carry me ^E home
^A Swing ^B low
^E Swing ^A low
Swing low and ^B carry me ^E home