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