Blind Lemon's Penitentiary Blues chords by Blind Lemon Jefferson

SimplifiedC · A · Eb · Am

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Verse 1
C 
 (C major) Take Fort Worth for your dressing
and take Dallas all for your style
Take Fort Worth for your dressing,
A 
C 
Dallas all for your  (A major)  (C major) style
If you wanna go to the state penitentiary,
go to Groesbeck for your trial

Verse 2
C 
I hung around Groesbeck, and  (C major) 
I worked in showers of rain
I say, I hung around Groesbeck,
I worked in hard showers of rain
A 
C 
Eb 
C 
 (A major) I  (C major) never felt the least  (E flat major) bit un (C major) easy,
till I caught that penitentiary bound train

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Verse 3

I used to be a drunkard,

I was rowdy everywhere I go

I used to be a drunkard and rowdy

everywhere I go

If I ever get out of this trouble I'm in, I won't

be rowdy no more

Verse 4
C 
Boys, don't be bad,  (C major) 
please don't crowd your mind
I said, boys, don't be bad and please
Eb 
C 
don't crowd  (E flat major) your  (C major) mind
Am 
C 
If you  (A minor)  (C major) happen to get in trouble in Groesbeck,

Verse 5
they're gonna send you penitentiary flyin'
C 
 (C major) 
I want you to stop and study, and
don't take nobody's life
I want you to stop and study,
C 
don't take nobody's  (C major) life
They've got walls at the state penitentiary you
C 
can't jump, man  (C major) they high as the sky
C 
C 
 (C major)  (C major) 