a country song from the 1970s:

"BLACKJACK COUNTY CHAIN"
from singing of Tex Williams

I was settin' by the road in Blackjack County
Not knowin' that the sheriff paid a bounty,
For men like me who haven't got a penny to their name
And he locked my legs in 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.

And all we had to eat was bread and water,
Each day we built that road a mile and a quarter,
And a blacksnake whip would tear our backs if some poor fool complained,
And you couldn't fight back wearing 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.

And then one night while the sheriff, he was a-sleepin',
We all gathered round him midnight creepin'
And heaven help me forget that night out in the cold cold rain,
When we beat him to death with 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.

Now the whip marks are all healed and I'm thankful,
There's nothin' but a scar around my ankle,
Most of all I'm glad no man is gonna be a slave again
To a blacksnake whip and 35 pounds of Blackjack County chain.

Art Thieme