The Lomaxes also collected a chopping work song from Lightnin' in a Texas prison farm that differs substantially from the one posted above by Greg. The lines in square brackets are by the chorus:

LONG GONE

Leader:
Wid his di'mond blade         [Wid his di'mond blade]
Got it in his han'            [Got it in his han']
Gonna hew out de live oaks    [Gonna hew out de live oaks]
Dat are in dis lan'          [Dat are in dis lan']

Refrain:

He's long gone                  [He's long gone]
He's Long John                  [He's long John]
He's gone, gone                [He's gone, gone]
Like a turkey throught the corn [Like a turkey through the corn]
Wid his long clo'es on          [Wid his long clo'es on]
He's gone, gone                [He's gone, gone]
He's gone John                  [He's gone John]
He's long gone                  [He's long gone]

Stanzas:

Ef I had a-listened
What Rosie said
I'd a-been sleepin'
In a-Rosie's bed

But-a I wouldn' listen
Got to runnin' aroun'
An' de firs' thing I knew
I was jailhouse bound

Well, I got in de jail
Wid my mouf poked out
Now I'm in the pen
An I cain' get out

Well-a John made
A pair of shoes
Funnies' shoes
Dat ever was seen

Had a heel in front
An' a heel behind
Well, you couldn tell where
Dat boy was a-gwine

Well-a, come on, honey
Let me shet dat do'
Well de dogs is a-comin'
An' I got to go

Well-a, hear dat sergeant
Just a-huffin' and a-blowin'
Well, I b'lieve I hear
Ol' Rattler moanin'

Well, I crossed that Brazos
In de mornin' dew
Well, I leave you, sergeant
An de' captain too

Well-a, good mornin', Mary
How do you do?
Well I crossed dat river
Jus' to see you

All dis summer
Won' call no mo'
Ef I call nex' summer
Den I'm gone some mo'

He's long gone
He's Long John
He's gone, gone
Like a turkey through de corn

Wid his long clo'es on
He's gone, gone
He's gone John
He's long gone

Source: John A. Lomax & Alan Lomax 'American Ballads and Folk Songs' MacMillan 1934 pp 75-79.

--Stewie.