Tombstone Blues chords by Richie Havens
Guitar chords with lyrics
Intro: F5 F7 F5 F7sus4 F5 F7 Verse 1: F F5 Bb The sweet pretty things are in bed now of course F5 F Bb The city fathers they’re trying to endorse F5 F Bb F The reincarnation of Paul Revere’s horse Bb G F But the town has no need to be nervous F Bb F The ghost of Belle Starr she hands down her wits F Bb F To Jezebel the nun she violently knits F Bb F A bald wig for Jack the Ripper who sits Bb F At the head of the chamber of commerce
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Accuracy Rating: - Votes: -
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I am in the kitchen
C7
With the tombstone blues
F7 F
(Yeah Yeah)
Bridge:
F5 F7 F5 F7sus4 F5 F7
Verse 2:
F F5 Bb
The hysterical bride in the penny arcade
F5 F Bb
Screaming she moans, “I’ve just been made”
F5 F Bb F
Then sends out for the doctor who pulls down the shade
Bb G F
And says, “My advice is to not let the boys in”
F Bb F
Now the medicine man comes and he shuffles inside
F Bb F
He walks with a swagger and he says to the bride
F Bb F
“Stop all this weeping, swallow your pride
Bb G F
You will not die, it’s not poison”
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I’m in the kitchen
C7
With the tombstone blues
Bridge:
F7 F
Verse 3:
F F5 Bb
Well, John the Baptist, after torturing a thief
F5 F Bb
Looks up at his hero, the commander-in-chief
F5 F Bb F
Saying, “Tell me, great hero, but please make it brief
Bb G F
Is there a hole for me to get sick in?”
F Bb F
The commander-in-chief answers him while chasing a fly
F Bb F
Saying, "Death to all those who would whimper and cry"
F Bb F
And dropping a barbell, he points to the sky
Bb F
Saying, "The sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken"
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I am in the kitchen
C7
With the tombstone blues
Bridge:
F5 F7 F5 F7sus4 F5 F7
Verse 4:
F F5 Bb
The king of the Philistines his soldiers to save
F5 F Bb
Puts jawbones on their tombstones and flatters their graves
F5 F Bb F
Puts the pied pipers in prison and fattens the slaves
Bb G F
Then sends them out to the jungle
F Bb F
Gypsy Davey with a blowtorch he burns out their camps
F Bb F
With his faithful slave Pedro behind him he tramps
F Bb F
With a fantastic collection of stamps
Bb F
To win friends and influence his uncle
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I’m in trouble
C7
With the tombstone blues
Bridge:
F7 F
Verse 5:
F F5 Bb
The geometry of innocence, flesh on the bone
F5 F Bb
Causes Galileo’s math book to get thrown
F5 F Bb F
At Delilah who's sitting worthlessly alone
Bb G F
But the tears on her cheeks are from laughter
F Bb F
Now I wish I could give Brother Bill his great thrill
F Bb F
I would set him in chains at the top of the hill
F Bb F
Then send out for some pillars and Cecil B. DeMille
Bb F
He could die happily ever after
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I am in the kitchen
C7
With the tombstone blues
Bridge:
F5 F7 F5 F7sus4 F5 F7
Verse 6:
F F5 Bb
Where Ma Rainey and Beethoven once unwrapped their bedroll
F5 F Bb
Tuba players now rehearse around the flagpole
F5 F Bb F
And the National Bank at a profit sells road maps for the soul
Bb G F
To the old folks home and the college
F Bb F
Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain
F Bb F
That could hold you dear lady from going insane
F Bb F
That could ease you and cool you and cease the pain
Bb F
Of your useless and pointless knowledge
Chorus:
Bb
Mama’s in the factory
F
She ain't got no shoes
Bb
Daddy’s in the alley
F
He’s lookin' for food
Bb
I am in the kitchen
C7
With the tombstone blues
Outro:
F7 F
Tombstone Blues chords