[Intro]
C
[Verse 1]
C
The old man was sitting on the tailgate of a '62 Ford flatbed
C2/B Am
Picking on an old guitar, he looked at me and he said, "The engine's dead
F
It was a good run son," as he strummed a melancholy chord
C
"Now I've got nothing but time to kill until the coming of the Lord"
[Verse 2]
C
Well, he played me a few songs, one about a Randall knife
C2/B Am
One about a train, one about the pain of losing the love of his life
Am7/G F
He took a puff of that cigarette, blew a breath of smoke that could smother
C
He said "They always said these would kill me and they did," then he laughed and he lit another
[Verse 3]
C
He said, "I hear that you write songs boy, play me one that I might know"
C2/B Am
So I sang him my latest and greatest hit and number one on music row
F
He stopped me before I could finish the verse, said "I think I've heard enough of that
C
When you've heard one you've heard em all," with a grimace of a grin he took his old guitar back
[Verse 4]
C
He said, "I guess that's alright if that's all you've got to give
C2/B Am
If that's all you've got to say in this one life you've got to live
Am7/G F
There's no meaning in your melody so predictable and weak
C
Wasted words and shallow rhymes, I'd rather hear a woman cuss me a blue streak"
[Verse 5]
C
"You see, the pencil to the pad is like the bullet to the gun
C2/B Am
The pen is mightier than the sword if the words are forged from fire from the sun
Am7/G F
Yet some do it for the fame, the fun, the money and all the glory
C
Yet some do it for their weary soul, won't rest until they tell their story"
[Verse 6]
C
"You gotta make 'em feel what you feel, help 'em dream a dream and make 'em wonder
C2/B Am
It's like catchin' lightning in a bottle, make 'em smell the rain and hear the thunder
Am7/G F
Let 'em taste the tears of joy or the bittersweet taste of sin
C
Find the passion in a four letter word or a Sunday morning Amen"
[Verse 7]
C
Then he flicked his ashes and he pointed at my heart
Am
Said, "If you're searching for solid gold, that'd be a real good place to start
F
Let the words speak for themselves, tell the truth, right or wrong
C
And bare your soul for all to see, all for the sake of the song"
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