Standard (EADGBE)
time that he was ten.
G One day his daddy took a 10-dollar bill
and he tucked it in his D hand,
He said Em I know you're headed for C trouble son,
your mama wouldn't under stand.
G So he took his dad's money and his brother's old bay
and he left without a word of D thanks,
Fell Em in with this crowd in a C border town
and he took to robbin' banks.
(solo over)
G Outside the law his luck a-run out fast,
a few years came and D went;
Til he was Em trapped up in an alley in C Abilene
with all but four shells spent.
G And he realized then that prayin' was the only thing
he hadn't ever D tried;
He Em didn't know quite how to C do it
but he G looked up D to the G sky.
G He said "You don't owe me nothin and as far as I know, Lord
I don't owe nothin' to D you
Em I ain't askin for a C miracle Lord
little bit of luck will do.
G You know I ain't never prayed before
cause it always seemed to D me
that Em prayin was just like C beggin'
and I don't take chari ty.
Break
G Lord, I've had some breaks in my life
as you already D know
I've Em had some help from the good lord and the C devil himself's
been strictly touch and go.
G Right here now with my back to the wall
I can't help but re D call
how they Em nearly hung me for C stealin' a horse
in Ft. Smith, Arkansas
G Judge Parker said guilty and his gavel came down
just like a cannon D shot
I went away quietly
I beg an to file and plot.
G They sent that old preacher down to my cell
he said, "the lord is your only D hope,
Em he'll be the only friend you C have, son
when you G hit the D end of Parker's G rope."
G Well, I guess he could've kept on preachin' til Christmas
but he turned his back on D me
Em I put a homemade blade to that C golden throat
and asked the G deputy D for the G key.
G Ah, but who in the hell am I talkin to?
there ain't no one here but D me
(single strum each chord)
Em So he cocked both his pistols, C spit in the dirt,
and walked in to that street.
(break and end.)