G C
Bill Horton was a cautious man of the road
G D
He walked lookin' over his shoulder and remained faithful to its code
G C
When something caught his eye he'd measure his need
G D G
And then very carefully he'd proceed
C
Billy met a yound girl in the early days of May
G Bm C
It was there in her arms he let his cautiousness slip away
G C
In their lovers twilight as the evening sky grew dim
G D G
He'd lay back in her arms and laugh what had happened to him
C
On his right hand Billy tatooed the word love
Bm
And on his left hand was the word fear
G D
And in which hand he held his fate was never clear
G C
Come Indian summer he took his young lover for his bride
G D G
And with own hands built a great house down by the riverside
(G C G G D)
G C
Now Billy was an honest man he wanted to do what was right
G D
He worked hard to fill their lives with happy days and loving nights
G C
Alone on his knees in the darkness for steadiness he'd pray
G D G
For he knew in a restless heart the seed of betrayal lay
C Bm
One night Billy awoke from a terrible dream callin' his wife's name
G D
She lay breathing beside him in a peaceful sleep a thousand miles away
G C
He got dressed in the moonlight and down to the highway he strode
G D G
When he got there he didn't find nothing but road
(G C C Bm7 Bm7)
G C
Billy felt a coldness rise up inside him that he couldn't name
G Bm C
Just as the words tattooed 'cross his knuckles he knew would always remain
G
At their bedside he brushed the hair from his wife's face
C
as the moon shone on her skin so white
G D G
Filling their room with the beauty of God's fallen light