"DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH"

John Prine  

  1. EVERYBODY
  2. THE TORCH SINGER
  3. SOUVENIRS
  4. THE LATE JOHN GARFIELD BLUES
  5. SOUR GRAPES
  6. BILLY THE BUM
  7. THE FRYING PAN
  8. YES I GUESS THEY OUGHTA NAME A DRINK AFTER YOU
  9. TAKE THE STAR OUT OF THE WINDOW
10. THE GREAT COMPROMISE
11. CLOCKS AND SPOONS
12. ROCKY MOUNTAIN TIME
13. DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

Atlantic Records, 1972


Everybody
John Prine

Intro:
[C] [G] [D] [G]

[G]While out sailing on the ocean. While out sa[C]iling on the s[G]ea
I bumped into the Saviour and He s[A7]aid "Pardon [D7]Me"
I said "Je[G]sus, you look tired". He said "Je[C]sus, so do y[G]ou"
Want-chu s[C]it down son 'cause I g[D]ot some fat to ch[G]ew

Chorus:
[G]Everybody needs somebody t[C]hat they can talk [G]to
Someone to open up their ears and l[A7]et that trouble th[D7]rough
Now y[G]ou don't have to sympathize or c[C]are what they may [G]do
But ev[C]erybody ne[G]eds somebody t[D]hat they can talk [G]to.
[C] [G] [D] [G]

Well, [G]he spoke to me of morality, starv[C]ation, pain and s[G]in
Matter of fact the whole dang time I on[A7]ly got a few words [D7]in
But [G]I won't squawk. Let 'em talk. Hell, it's be[C]en a long long ti[G]me
And a[C]ny friend that's b[G]een turned down
Is b[D]ound to be a friend to m[G]ine.

Repeat Chorus:

Now [G]we sat there for an hour or two just e[C]atin' that Gospel p[G]ie
When around the bend come a terrible wind and lig[A7]htning lit the s[D7]ky
He said so [G]long son I gotta run. I appre[C]ciate you listening to
[G]me
And I be[C]lieve I heard him s[G]ing these words
As he sk[D]ipped out across the s[G]ea

Repeat Chorus:

Ending:
But ev[C]erybody ne[G]eds somebody t[D]hat they can talk [G]to.
[C] [D] [G]
The Torch Singer
John Prine

The night club was b[C]urning from the to[D]rch singer's s[G]ong
And the s[C]weat was flo[G]odin' her e[D]yes
The cat[G]walk squeaked 'neather the bar[C]tender's feet
And the sm[G]oke was too he[D]avy to r[G]ise
She s[C]ang of the love that l[G]eft her
And of[C] the woman that sh[G]e'll never [D]be
Made me f[G]eel like the buck and a qua[C]rter
That I p[D]aid 'em to listen and s[G]ee [C]
That I p[D]aid 'em to listen and s[G]ee [C] [D] [G]

[G]I was born down in Ka[C]nsas 'neath the Oc[D]tober s[G]ky
Worked the d[C]ay shift from se[G]ven to th[D]ree
And t[G]he only relief that [C]I receive
Is ne[G]arer my G[D]od to t[G]hee
She co[C]nstantly throws me off ti[G]ming
Leaves me [C]standing both na[G]ked and b[D]are
Ma[G]kes me feel like the Sunday fun[C]nies
After ev[D]erythings gone off the a[G]ir [C]
[D]Everythings gone off the a[G]ir [C] [D] [G] [G]

I picked through the a[C]shes of the to[D]rch singer's s[G]ong
And I or[C]dered my m[G]oney a ro[D]und
For wh[G]iskey and pain b[C]oth taste the same
Du[G]ring the t[D]ime they go do[G]wn.
She [C]sang of the love that l[G]eft her
And [C]of the woman that sh[G]e'll never [D]be
Made me f[G]eel like the buck and a qu[C]arter
I pa[D]id 'em to listen and s[G]ee [C]
I pa[D]id 'em to listen and s[G]ee
Souvenirs
John Prine

Intro:
[G] [C] [D] [G]
[G] [C] [D] [G]

[Tacet]All the snow has turned to [C]water
[D]Christmas day has come and g[G]one
Broken toys and faded [C]colors
[D]Are all that's left to li[G]nger on
[Tacet]I hate graveyards and old pawns[C]hops
[D]For they always bring me te[G]ars
[G]Can't forgive the way they r[C]ob me
[D]Of my childhoood souven[G]irs

Chorus:
[D]Memories, they can't be bou[G]ghten
They [D]can't be won at carnivals for f[G]ree
[D]Well, it took me years, to [G]get those souvenirs
And I [C]don't know how they slipped away from [D]me
[G] [C] [D] [G]
[G] [C] [D] [G]

[Tacet]Broken hearts and dirty w[C]indows
[D]Make life difficult to [G]see
That's why last night and this mo[C]rning
[D]Always look the same to [G]me
[Tacet]I hate reading old love let[C]ters
[D]For they always bring me te[G]ars
I can't forgive the way they rob [C]me
[D]Of my sweetheart sou[G]venirs

Repeat Chorus:
The Late John Garfield Blues
John Prine


Black fa[G]ces pressed agai[G7]nst the glass
Where r[C]ain has pressed it's w[G]eight
Wi[G]nd blown scarves in top down cars
All sh[A7]are one western tr[D7]ait
Sa[C]dness l[D]eaks through te[G]ar-stained cheeks
From [B7]winos to dime-store J[C]ews
Probably don't[C/B] know they give [G]me
These la[D7]te John Garfield bl[G]ues
[C] [G] [C] [G] [C] [G]

M[G]idnight fell on Frank[G7]lin Street
And the [C]lamppost bulbs were br[G]oke
F[G]or the life of me, I could not see
But I h[A7]eard a brand new j[D7]oke
Two [C]men were s[D]tanding up[G]on a bridge
One j[B7]umped and screamed you l[C]ose
And just left the [C/B]odd man hol[G]ding
Those la[D7]te John Garfield bl[G]ues
[C] [G] [C] [G] [C] [G]

[D]An old man sleeps with his conscience at night
[G]A young kid sleeps with his dreams
While the me[A7]ntally ill sit perfectly still
And live through life's in-be[D7]tweens

I'm[G] going away to the l[G7]ast resort
In w[C]eek or two real s[G]oon
Wh[G]ere the fish don't bite but once a night
By the [A7]cold light of the m[D7]oon
The [C]horses scre[D]am- the nigh[G]tmares dream
And th[B7]e dead men all wear sh[C]oes
'Cause [C/B]everybody's da[G]ncin'
Those la[D7]te John Garfield bl[G]ues
[C] [D] [G] [C] [D] [G]
Sour Grapes
John Prine

(Recorded in key of F/capo on 5)

[C]I don't care if the [Dm]sun don't shine
But it bett[G]er or people will wo[C]nder
And I don't mind if [Dm]it never quits rainin'
'Cept the k[G]ids are afraid of the thu[C]nder

Chorus:
[C]Say sour gr[Am]apes
You can laugh and st[C]are [G] [C]
Say sour gr[Am]apes
B[G]ut I don't c[C]are [F] [C]

I [C]couldn't care less if I d[Dm]idn't have a friend
'Cept pe[G]ople would say I was cr[C]azy
And I [C]wouldn't work 'c[Dm]ause I don't need money
'Cept the sa[G]me folks would say I was la[C]zy

Repeat Chorus:

Instrumental:
[C] [Dm]
[G] [C]
[C] [Dm]
[G] [C]
[C] [Am]
[C] [G] [C]
[C] [Am]
[G] [C] [F] [C]

I co[C]uldn't care less if she n[Dm]ever come back
I was g[G]onna leave her any[C]way
And [C]all the good times [Dm]that we shared
D[G]on't mean a thing to[C]day

Repeat Chorus:
Billy The Bum
John Prine

John Prine

Intro:
[Bb] [F] [C] [F]

B[F]illy the Bum lived by the thumb
And sang of the hobo's de[C]light
He'd prove he could run twice as fast as the sun
By losing his shadow at ni[F]ght
Now he loved every girl in this curly headed world
But no one will know it s[Bb]eems
For two twisted legs and a chil[F]dhood disease
Left B[C]illy just a bum in his dr[F]eams

Chorus:
And [Bb]he was just a ge[F]ntle boy
A r[C]eal florescent li[F]ght
Cried pe[Bb]nnies on Sunday mo[F]rning
Laugh nickels on Saturday ni[C]ght
And y[F]our bullets they can't harm him
Nor your kn[F7]ives tear him a[Bb]part
Humiliation kil[F]led him
God b[C]less his little h[F]eart [Bb] [F] [C] [F]

No[F]w he lived all alone in a run down home
Near the side of the old railroad tr[C]ack
Where the trains used to run carrying freight by the ton
And blow the whistle as Billy'd wave b[F]ack
But the children around Billy's hometown
Seemed to have nothing better to [Bb]do
Than to run around his house with ton[F]gues from their mouth
And make f[C]un of that crippled old f[F]ool

Repeat Chorus:

Now [F]some folks they wait and some folk they pray
For Jesus to rise up a[C]gain
But none of these folks in the holy cloaks
Ever took Billy on as a fr[F]iend
For pity's a crime and it ain't worth a dime
To a person who's really in n[Bb]eed
Just treat 'em the same as you wo[F]uld you own name
Next t[C]ime that your heart starts to bl[F]eed

Repeat Chorus:
The Frying Pan
John Prine

I come h[A]ome from work this ev[D]ening
There was a n[A]ote in the frying [E]pan
It said f[A]ix you own su[D]pper, babe
I run [A]off with the Fu[E]ller Brush m[A]an

Chorus:
And (Cause) I [A]miss the way she used to y[D]ell at me
The w[A]ay she used to cuss and m[E]oan
And [A]if I ever go out and get ma[D]rried again
I'l[A]l never leave my [E]wife at [A]home
[A] [D]
[A] [E]
[A] [D]
[A] [E] [A]

We[A]ll, I sat down at the t[D]able
Sc[A]reamed and I hollered and cr[E]ied
And [A]I commenced a car[D]ryin' on
Till [A]I almost l[E]ost my m[A]ind

Repeat Chorus:

If [A]I ever see another sal[D]esman
Come a-kn[A]ockin' at my d[E]oor
I gonna p[A]ick up a rock and [D]hit him on the head
And [A]knock him d[E]own on the f[A]loor

Ending:
Cause I miss the way she used to y[D]ell at me
The w[A]ay she used to cuss and m[E]oan
And [A]if I ever go out and get ma[D]rried again
I'l[A]l never leave my [E]wife at [A]home [E] [D] [A]
Yes I Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You
John Prine

Intro:
[E] [A]

Oh,[A]I get drunk most every night
S[D]eems like all we do is fight
The m[A]ore I drink the less I feel b[E]lue
Some[A]times I feel like an awful fool
[D]Spending my life on an old bar stool
And y[A]es, I guess they oug[E]hta name a drink after y[A]ou
(spoken: Bloody Mary)

Instrumental
[E] [D] [E] [A]

If[A] this date were to be our last
[D]I'd never sit down this glass
It'd [A]take all the booze in the world to forget [E]you
You've l[A]eft my heart a vacant lot
I[D]'ll fill it with another shot
And [A]yes, I guess they ou[E]ghta name a drink after [A]you
(spoken: Near Beer)

Instrumental
[E] [D] [E] [A]

L[A]ooks like I had my fill
Gu[D]ess I better pay my bill
When I st[A]arted out I only meant to have a f[E]ew
Som[A]eone just said that you left town
I[D] better get a double round
And y[A]es, I guess they ou[E]ghta name a drink after y[A]ou
Y[A]es, I guess they ou[E]ghta name a drink after y[A]ou
[E] [A]
Take The Star Out Of The Window
John Prine

John Prine

Intro:
[C] [F] [C] [G]
[C] [F] [C] [G] [C]

[C]Robert was a sailor
For the b[F]est years of his life
His captain was his mo[C]ther
And the ocean was his w[G]ife
Only fr[C]esh out of the cradle
Life's one and only sp[F]ring
He was sworn to do his d[C]uty
And got bl[G]ood on his high school r[C]ing

Chorus:
A[C]nd it's hello California
Hello Dad and [F]Mom.
Ship ahoy, your b[C]aby boy
Is home from Vi[G]etnam
Don't y[C]ou ask me any questions
About the medals on my ch[F]est
Take the star out of the wi[C]ndow
And let my [G]conscience take a r[C]est

Instrumental:
[C] [F] [C] [G]
[C] [F] [C] [G] [C]

N[C]ow he sailed across the ocean
To that old Far Eastern w[F]ar
It was foreign to his bo[C]dy
It was foreign to his sh[G]ore
So he tr[C]aded in the present
For the better times he'd [F]seen
And made an oriental wa[C]itress
His o[G]wn Homecomin' Qu[C]een.

Repeat Chorus:
The Great Compromise
John Prine

Intro:
[C]

[C]I knew a girl who was almost a lady
She had a [F]way with all the men in her l[C]ife
Every [G]inch of her blossomed in beauty
She was [F]born on the Fourth of J[C]uly
W[C]ell, she lived in an aluminum house trailer
And she wo[F]rked in a juke-box sa[C]loon
And she s[G]pent all the money I'd give her
Just to [F]see the ol' man in the m[C]oon

Chorus:
[C]I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And aw[F]ake in the Dawn's early l[C]ight
But much [F]to my surprise when I op[C]ened my eyes
I was a vi[G]ctim of the great compro[C]mise

Wel[C]l, we'd go out on Saturday evening
To the D[F]rive-in on Route Forty [C]One
And it was t[G]here that I first suspected
That she was d[F]oin' what she'd already d[C]one
S[C]he said "Johnny want you get me some popcorn"
And she k[F]new I had to walk pretty f[C]ar
And as s[G]oon as I passed through the moonlight
She hopped i[F]nto a foreign sports c[C]ar

Repeat Chorus:

W[C]ell you know, I could'a beat up that fella
But it was [F]her that had hopped in to his c[C]ar
As many t[G]imes as I'd fought to protect her
But this t[F]ime she was goin' too f[C]ar
A[C]nd some folks they call me a coward
'Cause I l[F]eft her at the Drive-in that n[C]ight
But I'd d[G]ruther have names thrown at me
Than to fi[F]ght for a thing that ain't ri[C]ght

Repeat Chorus:

Wel[C]l, she writes all the fellas love letters
Sayin' gr[F]eetings come and see me real s[C]oon
And they [G]go and line up in the bar-room
To spend a n[F]ight in that sick woman's r[C]oom
B[C]ut sometimes I get awful lonesome
And I w[F]ish she were my girl ins[C]tead
But she [G]won't let me live with her
And she m[F]akes me live in my he[C]ad

Ending:
[C]I used to sleep at the foot of Old Glory
And aw[F]ake in the Dawn's early l[C]ight
But much [F]to my surprise when I op[C]ened my eyes
I was a vi[G]ctim of the great compro[C]mise [F] [C]
Clocks And Spoons
John Prine

Intro: (Recorded in key of A/capo on 2)
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[C] [D] [G] [G/F] [Em]
[C] [D] [G]

C[G]locks and spoons and e[B7]mpty rooms
It's[C] raining out ton[D]ight
W[G]hat a way to e[B7]nd a day - [C]By turning out the l[D]ight
S[C]hoot the moon - r[D]ight between the e[G]yes
[G/F#]I'm s[Em]ending m[C]ost of me to su[D]nny country s[G]ide

Instrumental:
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[C] [D] [G] [G/F#] [Em]
[C] [D] [G]

R[G]unnin' [B7]through a sky of blue
Ro[C]llin' in the [D]sun
E[G]very day [B7]has a way of o[C]verflowing [D]one
S[C]hoot the moon - r[D]ight between the e[G]yes
[G/F#]I'm ke[Em]eping m[C]ost of me in su[D]nny country s[G]ide

Instrumental:
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[G] [B7] [C] [D]
[C] [D] [G] [G/F#] [Em]
[C] [D] [G]

D[G]on't know how I did t[B7]hat now
W[C]onder where it's g[D]one
M[G]ust have [B7]spent the way I w[C]ent - waitin' for the d[D]awn
S[C]hoot the moon - r[D]ight between the e[G]yes
[G/F#]I'm sc[Em]reaming [C]take me back to s[D]unny country s[G]ide
S[C]hoot the moon - r[D]ight between the e[G]yes
[G/F#]I'm scre[Em]aming [C]take me back to s[D]unny country s[G]ide
Cl[G]ocks and spoons [B7]and empty rooms
It's [C]raining out t[G]onight
Rocky Mountain Time
John Prine

Intro:
[G] [C] [G] [C]
[G] [C] [G]

T[C]he station was e[G]mpty
T[D]he trains were all g[G]one
I[C] reached in my po[G]cket
And I [D]waited for d[G]awn

The [C]clock played d[G]rums
And [D]I hummed the s[G]ax
And the w[C]ind whistled down the rai[D]lroad tr[G]acks
Hey, t[C]hree for a qu[G]arter, o[D]ne for a d[G]ime
I'll [C]bet it's tomorrow by R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime
[C] [G] [C] [G] [C] [G]

I[C] walked in the res[G]taurant
For [D]something to [G]do
The [C]waitress yelled at [G]me
And [D]so did the fo[G]od
And the [C]water taste fu[G]nny
When you're [D]far from your h[G]ome
But [C]it's only the th[G]irsty
That [D]hunger to r[G]oam

And the [C]clock played d[G]rums
And [D]I hummed the s[G]ax
And the w[C]ind whistled down the rai[D]lroad tr[G]acks
Hey, t[C]hree for a qu[G]arter, o[D]ne for a d[G]ime
I'll [C]bet it's tomorrow by R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime
[C] [G] [C] [G] [C] [G]

We'll[F] build us a castle on main s[G]treet
And p[F]retend that we're down on the f[G]arm
Hell, we'[F]ll hold out as long as we h[G]ave to
Then we'll t[A]wist off each other's a[D]rms [D/C] [D/B] [D/A]

[G]Christ, I'm so mi[C]xed up and lo[G]nely
I can't e[C]ven make fri[D]ends with my br[G]ain
Yeah, I'm [C]too young to [D]be where I'm g[G]oing
But I'm [C]too old to [D]go back a[G]gain
[C] [G] [C] [G] [C] [G]

[C]The station was e[G]mpty
[D]The trains were all g[G]one
[C]I reached in my po[G]cket
[D]And I waited for d[G]awn

The [C]clock played d[G]rums
And [D]I hummed the s[G]ax
And the w[C]ind whistled down the rai[D]lroad tr[G]acks
Hey, t[C]hree for a qu[G]arter, o[D]ne for a d[G]ime
I'll [C]bet it's tomorrow by R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime
By R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime
By R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime
By R[D]ocky Mountain t[G]ime [C] [G]

Diamonds In The Rough
A.P. Carter

While walking out one evening not knowing where to go
Just to pass the time away before we held our show
I heard a little mission band playing with all their might
I gave my soul to Jesus and left the show that night

The day will soon be over and evening will begun
No more gems to be gathered so let us all press on
When Jesus comes to claim us and says it is enough
The diamonds will be shining no longer in the rough 

 

 

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