Chorus:

Swing that hammer, break that rock

Lord that old sun is hot

And the shackles that I wear fit too tight

I ain’t seen nobody smile, out on this old rock pile

They’ll knock you down if you don’t do it right

Now hard times go so slow

I’ve got ten to go

I’m a number now, I don’t have a name

But there ain’t no need to whine

This ball and chain is mine

There ain’t no way to stop this burnin’ pain

Chorus:

Swing that hammer, break that rock…

And that old memory showed

A Code still is a code

It’s lonesome time when they turn out the lights

These walls are grim and gray

Tomorrow’s another day

To swing my hammer down with all my might

Chorus:

Swing that hammer, break that rock…