3/4 | G / / | G / / | G / /| G / / |
[G]Come to the door, Ma, and unlock[C] the chai[G]n
I was just passin' through and got caught in the r[C]ain
There's nothin' I want, nothin' that you need s[G]ay
Just let me lie down for a while and I'll [D]be on my w[G]ay
I was no mo[G]re than a kid when you put me on the [C]Southern [G]Queen
With the police on my back I fled to New Orle[C]ans
I fought in the dockyards and with the money I m[G]ade
I knew the fight was my home and b[D]lood was my tr[G]ade
[G]Baton Rouge, Poncitoula, and [C]Lafayette [G]town
Well they paid me their money, Ma, I knocked the men d[C]own
I did what I did well it come easil[G]y
D G |
Restraint and mercy, Ma, were always strangers to me
HARP SOLO
| G | G | G | C |C | Em | Em | G | C | C | C | G | G | G | G
I fought c[G]hampion Jack Thompson in a [C]field full of [G]mud
Rain poured through the tent to the canvas and mixed with our b[C]lood
In the twelfth I slipped my tongue over my broken j[G]aw
I stood over him and pounded his bloody body into the fl[C]oor
Well the bell rang and rang and still I kept o[G]n
'Till I felt my glove leather slip 'twe[D]en his skin and b[G]one
Then the w[G]omen and the money came fast and the [C]days I lost [G]track
The women red, the money green, but the numbers were bl[C]ack
I fought for the men in their silk suits to lay down their b[G]ets
I took my good share, Ma, I h[D]ave no regre[G]ts
Then I took the f[G]ix at the state armory with [C]big John Mc[G]Dowell
From high in the rafters I watched myself [C]fall
As he raised his arm my stomach twisted and the sky it went [G]black
I stuffed my bag with their good money and I n[D]ever looked ba[G]ck
Unders[C]tand, in the end, Ma, every man plays the g[G]ame
If you know me one different then s[D]peak out his na[G]me
M[C]a if my voice now you don't recognize
Then just op[G]en the door and look in[D]to your dark ey[G]es
I a[C]sk of you nothin', not a kiss not a smile,
Just o[G]pen the door and let me lie d[D]own for a wh[G]ile
Now the g[G]ray rain's fallin' and my ring [C]fightin's [G]done
So in the work fields and alleys I take all who'll c[C]ome
If you're a better man than me then just step to the l[G]ine
Show me your money and speak out your c[C]rime
Now there's nothin' I want, Ma, nothin' that you need s[G]ay
Just let me lie down for a while and I'll [D]be on my w[G]ay
Tonig[G]ht in the shipyard a man draws a circle in the dirt
I move to the center and I take off my s[C]hirt
I study him for the cuts, the scars, the pain, Man, nor time can e[G]rase
I move hard to the left and I [D]strike to the[C] face[G]
[G]Come to the door, Ma, and unlock[C] the chai[G]n
I was just passin' through and got caught in the r[C]ain
There's nothin' I want, nothin' that you need s[G]ay
Just let me lie down for a while and I'll [D]be on my w[G]ay
I was no mo[G]re than a kid when you put me on the [C]Southern [G]Queen
With the police on my back I fled to New Orle[C]ans
I fought in the dockyards and with the money I m[G]ade
I knew the fight was my home and b[D]lood was my tr[G]ade
[G]Baton Rouge, Poncitoula, and [C]Lafayette [G]town
Well they paid me their money, Ma, I knocked the men d[C]own
I did what I did well it come easil[G]y
D G |
Restraint and mercy, Ma, were always strangers to me
HARP SOLO
| G | G | G | C |C | Em | Em | G | C | C | C | G | G | G | G
I fought c[G]hampion Jack Thompson in a [C]field full of [G]mud
Rain poured through the tent to the canvas and mixed with our b[C]lood
In the twelfth I slipped my tongue over my broken j[G]aw
I stood over him and pounded his bloody body into the fl[C]oor
Well the bell rang and rang and still I kept o[G]n
'Till I felt my glove leather slip 'twe[D]en his skin and b[G]one
Then the w[G]omen and the money came fast and the [C]days I lost [G]track
The women red, the money green, but the numbers were bl[C]ack
I fought for the men in their silk suits to lay down their b[G]ets
I took my good share, Ma, I h[D]ave no regre[G]ts
Then I took the f[G]ix at the state armory with [C]big John Mc[G]Dowell
From high in the rafters I watched myself [C]fall
As he raised his arm my stomach twisted and the sky it went [G]black
I stuffed my bag with their good money and I n[D]ever looked ba[G]ck
Unders[C]tand, in the end, Ma, every man plays the g[G]ame
If you know me one different then s[D]peak out his na[G]me
M[C]a if my voice now you don't recognize
Then just op[G]en the door and look in[D]to your dark ey[G]es
I a[C]sk of you nothin', not a kiss not a smile,
Just o[G]pen the door and let me lie d[D]own for a wh[G]ile
Now the g[G]ray rain's fallin' and my ring [C]fightin's [G]done
So in the work fields and alleys I take all who'll c[C]ome
If you're a better man than me then just step to the l[G]ine
Show me your money and speak out your c[C]rime
Now there's nothin' I want, Ma, nothin' that you need s[G]ay
Just let me lie down for a while and I'll [D]be on my w[G]ay
Tonig[G]ht in the shipyard a man draws a circle in the dirt
I move to the center and I take off my s[C]hirt
I study him for the cuts, the scars, the pain, Man, nor time can e[G]rase
I move hard to the left and I [D]strike to the[C] face[G]
