G / / / 2 / 
                     D 
I was home in Macon, Georgia 
                   D7             G 
They kept my Daddy   in the Macon jail 
                                C 
He said, "Son, if you keep your hands clean, uh huh 
G                    D7                  G 
You won't hear those bloodhounds on your trail" 
 
Verse 2: 
I fell in with bad companions 
I robbed a man up in Tennessee 
And I got caught way up in Nashville, uh huh now 
And they locked me up and threw away the key 
 
Chorus -------------
 (same pattern as above 2 verses): 
I washed my hands in muddy water 
I washed my hands, but they didn't come clean 
I tried to do like my daddy told me, now 
I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream
--------------------
 
Verse 3: 
E7            A                       E 
  I asked the jailer, said "When's my time up?" 
             E7                     A 
He said "Son,  you know we won't forget 
                                  D 
And if you try and just keep your hands clean, uh huh 
    A                  E7              A 
Why we may just make a good man of you yet" 
 
Verse 4: 
But I didn't wait to get my time in 
I broke down, broke out the Nashville jail 
I just crossed Atlanta, Georgia, oh now 
And I can hear those bloodhounds on my trail 
 
(Chorus; same pattern as above 2 verses) 
 
F7            Bb             F 
  I washed my hands in muddy water 
                   F7                     Bb 
I washed my hands,   but they didn't come clean 
                            Eb 
I tried to do like my daddy told me, now 
  Bb                  F7               Bb 
I must have washed my hands in a muddy stream 
 
(repeat last line twice)