Intro:  Dm Gm Dm A7
        Dm Gm A Dm

Verse:
Dm                     Gm
Blackbird sitting on an open gate
Dm                       A7
Cattle out walking the plains
Dm                    Gm
West wind blowing in waist-high wheat
A                 Dm
Sideways in the rain

Dm                       Gm        
Bloodhound spent, can't get no trail
Dm               A7
Ain't no sign of man
       Dm                     Gm
Wanna get ourselves on the straight and the narrow
        A            Dm
Gonna need a better plan

Ref:
Dm
Roll your sleeves up
                Gm
Hold back the dam
   Dm                  A7
Fill these bags with sand
      Dm
Every young boy, woman
     Gm
And every man
     A            Dm
Has got to lend a hand

Verse:
Dm                              Gm
It ain't no old wives tale, it ain't no fable
Dm                   A7
Payback is coming around
Dm                        Gm
The hourglass is sitting there on the table
  A                  Dm
Filled on both sides now

Dm                     Gm
The work is potluck, grab a hatchet
Dm                   A7
Wear any glove that fits
Dm                           Gm
You can't take a punch, well you might as well quit
      A                  Dm
Won't matter how hard you hit

Ref:
Dm
Roll your sleeves up
            Gm
Shovel the land
 Dm                      A7
Rise up and learn how to stand
                 Dm
Now, you're a toothless woman
   Gm
Or a one armed man
     A                Dm
You too got to lend a hand

(Solo, fill inn: Dm Gm Dm A7 Dm Gm A Dm )

Bridge:
C
We're losing daylight, you got to be swift
Dm
You ain't got brains that you can lift
C
Be an optimist and see the glass half full
A7
You don't got to like what you've got in it

Verse:
Dm                                    Gm
When your father gets home he's gonna turn on the lights
Dm                          A7
We're up to our throats in knifes
Dm                             Gm
His eyes will flash and his teeth will grind
           A                          Dm
He'll say, "You're on your own, look alive!"

Dm                     Gm
Suppose I quit you, my wayward tribe
Dm                 A7
Whatever would you do?
     Dm                  Gm
Now take me to Hades, or take me to Memphis
          A                  Dm
Just don't take me for one of you

Ref:
Dm
Roll your sleeves up
              Gm
The fat lady sang
Dm                    A7
Grab your buckets and cans
     Dm
Come over the border
     Gm
Your papers in order
    A                 Dm
You too got to lend a hand

Dm
Roll your sleeves up
              Gm
Hold back the dam
Dm                    A7
Fill these bags with sand
      Dm
Every young boy, woman
          Gm
And every tired old man
    A                Dm
You too got to lend a hand