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