E
My parents raised me tenderly
D E
I was their only son.
E
My mind got mixed with ramblin'
D E
When I was all so young.
E
An' I left my home the first time
D E
When I was twelve an' one.
E
I'm a long time a-comin', Ma
D E
I'll be a long time gone.
E
On the western side of Texas
D E
On the Texas plains
E
I tried to find a job of work
D E
But they said I's young of age.
E
My eyes they burned when I heard
D E
"Go home where you belong!"
E
I'm a long time a-comin'
D E
I'll be a long time gone.
E
I remember when I's ramblin'
D E
Around with the carnival trains.
E
Different towns, different people
D E
Somehow they're all the same
E
I remember children's faces best
D E
I remember travelin' on.
E
I'm a long time a-comin'
D E
I'll be a long time gone.
E
I once loved a fair young maid
D E
An' I ain't too big to tell
E
If she broke my heart a single time
D E
She broke it ten or twelve.
E
I walked an' talked all by myself
D E
I did not tell no one.
E
I'm a long time a-comin', babe
D E
I'll be a long time gone.
E . . ./c | E . . . | G' . . . | E . . . . .
E
Many times by the highway side
D E
I tried to flag a ride
E
With bloodshot eyes an' grittin' teeth
D E
I'd watch the cars roll by.
E
The empty air hung in my head
D E
I's thinkin' all day long.
E
I'm a long time a-comin'
D E
An' I'll be a long time gone.
E
You might see me on your crossroads
D E
When I'm passin' thru
E
Remember me how you wished to
D E
As I'm a-driftin' from your view.
E
I ain't got the time to think about it
D E
I got too much to get done.
E
Well, I'm a long time a-comin'
D E
An' I'll be a long time gone.
E
If I can't help somebody
D E
With a word or song
E
If I can't show somebody
D E
They are travelin' wrong.
E
But I know I ain't no prophet
D E
An' I ain't no prophet's son.
E
I'm just a long time a-comin'
D E
An' I'll be a long time gone.
E
So you can have your beauty
D E
It's skin deep an' it only lies
E
An' you can have your youth
D E
It'll rot before your eyes.
E
Just give to me my gravestone
D E
With it clearly carved upon.
E
"I's a long time a-comin'
D E
An' I'll be a long time gone."
E /c E /c G/b D/c G/b
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|-----2---2-2-0---|-2---2-----2-2---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---|
|-0-------0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---|
|-0-------0---3---|-0---0---0---0---|-3---3---2---2---|-3---2---|
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E /c E
: . . . : . . .
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