G
With skin as tough as a burlap sack
G/B
He had his second heart attack
C G
Last summer but hes still goin
G
Theres a melancholy in his eyes
G/B
For all of you who care enough
Cadd9 G
To wonder why, well, let me tell you
Em Asus
It all started back in 1957
Cadd9 D Cadd9
When ole Walt Disney took him by surprise
G/B D Cadd9 G
Thats the day Old Yeller died
G
Well, that twelve year old became a man
G/B Cadd9
Eleven years too soon in Vietnam
G
With his best friend Tommy
G
They were tough as nails and southern born
G/B Cadd9
And awfully proud to wear that uniform
G
Then things got scary
Em Asus
On April 4th, Tommy left for Heaven
Cadd9 D Cadd9
The same year the world was taken by surprise
G/B D Cadd9 G
Thats the day Martin Luther died
D
So before you judge him you need to know
Cadd9
Theres more to that old man than what you
G D
See there on that barstool with a Bourbon in his hand
G
You heard about his younger years
Cadd9
But dont leave now theres more to hear
G D
That might explain the pain in that old man
G
How quick America forgot
G/B
About the only war theyd lost
Cadd9 G
And life goes on, thats what they tell ya
G
No ticker tape no reason why
G/B
Might have never seen the end of that chapter
Cadd9 G
Of his life, if he hadnt met Betty
Em Asus
They got married in December 1980
Cadd9 D
No doubt it was the best day of his life
Cadd9 G/B D Cadd9 G
Two days before John Lennon died
D
So before you judge him you need to know
Cadd9
Theres more to that old man than what you
G D
See there on that barstool with a Bourbon in his hand
D
Now weve covered chapter two
Cadd9
I can almost see a change in you
G D
Theres still a lot of life in that old man
G
He hadnt had a drink in at least a year
G/B
To tell the truth Im shocked hes here
Cadd9 D
But as long as he wants em, Im gonna pour em
G
Before you came in I asked him why
G/B Cadd9
He just raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes
G
And then he told me
Em Asus
Ive seen so much in my life Ive never questioned
Cadd9 D Cadd9
This time the good Lord took me by surprise
G/B D Cadd9 G
Yesterday my Betty died
G
With skin as tough as a burlap sack
G/B
He had his second heart attack
Cadd9 G
Last summer but hes still goin