St. John The Gambler chords - Townes Van Zandt ♬ How to Play

St. John The Gambler chords

ST. JOHN THE GAMBLER
   Townes Van Zandt

capo: 4th fret

Am       Dm                        Am
Well she had twenty years when she turned to her mother
          Dm                        Am       
Sayin', "Mother I know that you'll grieve, 
          C        Dm      F            Am
but I've given my soul to St. John The Gambler
               C        Am     
Tomorrow comes time to leave.
  
          Dm                        Am
Well the hills cannot hold back my sorrow forever
 Dm                          Am    
Dead men lie deep 'round my door, 
       C       Dm            F            Am
of the only salvation that's mine for the askin'
                Em       Am
So mother think on me no more."

     Dm                            Am                  
The winter howled high 'round the mountain's breast, 

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         Dm                 Am
and the cold of a thousand snows
     C       Dm      F       Am       
Lay heaped upon the forest sleep. 
      C        Am
She dressed in Calico.

       Dm               Am          
For a gambler likes his women fancy, 
 Dm             Am
fancy she would be
         C            Dm            F            Am       
And the fires of her longing would keep 'way the cold, 
                    Em        Am 
and her dress was a sight to see.


         Dm              Am              
But the road was long beneath her feet, 
     Dm                  Am
she followed her frozen breath
    C           Dm          F        Am            
In search of a certain St. John The Gambler, 
  C     Am
stumbled to her death.

         Dm                       Am                                 
And she heard his laughter right down from the mountain, 
        Dm                       Am
and it danced with her mother's tears
      C       Dm       F  Am       
To a funeral drone of Calico,  
                  Em      Am
'neath a cross of twenty years.

              Dm       F  Am         
To a funeral drone of Calico,  
                  Em     Am
'neath a cross of twenty years.