Ellis Unit One

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