Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E) Key: F Difficulty: Intermediate Verse 1: F Hey uncle louie, I wrote you a song Bb I'm glad you got your heart out of pawn F I'm glad you got your king out of check Bb At least that's how things stood when I saw you last
Verse 2: F It was New Orleans before the flood Bb You had just met a girl! you were falling in love! F She lived on the levee and knew the blues Bb And played harmonica better than you F Chorus: Bb In a neighborhood bar F In the middle of summer Dm Shoulder-to-shoulder F Bb Setting like sister and brother F Dm All of the sorrows you told each other Bb C F Rose like smoke from the room Verse 3: F The heat and the bourbon was in your head Bb You were talking in tongues! you were back from the dead! F And the girl and the city were one and the same Bb And last call never came Bridge: Bb C Dm F C And I can see you swimming out into the street F C F Dm Bb I can hear you singing, "when I die, don't cry for me" Verse 4: F Hey uncle louie, the city is spinning Bb She sure is pretty. you sure are grinning F She's leading you home from the heat of the bar Bb To lie on the levee and look at the stars F Chorus: Bb You can hold her hand F You can kiss her face Dm Go slow if you can F Bb Cause the world is a very sad place F Dm And when she leaves she'll leave no trace Bb C F And the world will still be there Verse 6: F The sky is colored in purple and yellow Bb You lie on the levee with stones for pillows F And you and the girl and the city make love Bb With the harlequin sky up above