Notes:
This song starts out at a decent tempo and then increases.
I would recommend finger picking, but it doesn't sound too shabby with
a little strumming. I would also recommend listening to the track to get the
picking right because the chord work isn't much. It's only 3 chords (A E D).
Hope you enjoy this classic song in the rendition of Leadbelly.
This is from a 9.5mm 1945 recording of Leadbelly, so I added what he says at the beginning.

"Now this is another work song. 
When we pick cotton, you gotta jump down to pick a bale of cotton a day.
You can't fool around.
And we sang:"

A
Great God Almighty I can pick a bale of cotton
                          E             A 
Great God Almighty I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)
D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)
A                                     
Me and my wife can pick a bale of cotton,
                   E             A
Me and my wife can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)
A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale of cotton.
                          E             A     
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale a day.
                  (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

A                                     
Me and my buddy can pick a bale of cotton,
                    E             A
Me and my buddy can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

A                                     
Me and my papa can pick a bale of cotton,
                   E             A
Me and my papa can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

A                                     
Me and my sissy can pick a bale of cotton,
                    E             A
Me and my sissy can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
F                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)
A
I can pick a pick a pick … a pick a bale of cotton
A                            E             A
I can pick a pick a pick … a pick a bale a day
                 (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)

A
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale of cotton.
                          E             A     
Jump down, turn around to pick a bale a day.
                  (x2)

D        A                            D
Oh Lord, I can pick a bale of cotton, oh Lord,
E                   A
I can pick a bale a day.
                 (x2)