Intro: C Am F Dm (4x)
verse 1
C
There's a greyhound bus
G
Leavin' the great Northwest
C
Takin' her tonight
G
Back down south to Texas
F
She's been dancin' on tables
To pay rent and be able
Dm
To just get by and maybe stay clean.
C Am F Dm
Abilene, Abilene
C Am F Dm
Abilene, Abilene.
verse 2
C
Well her daddy'd get drunk
G
Then he'd hit her hard
C
And her mama'd lie in bed
G
High on pills and talkin' to God
F
But like her beautiful tattoos
These old memories she can't lose
Dm
Since she ran away at fifteen.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
verse 3
C
Starin' out the window
Am
At the long cold night
C
Ahead on the horizon
Am
Is another string of bright lights
F
She's dreamin' of a man she's goin' to meet
In a bar on an Austin street
Dm
Maybe this one won't be so mean.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
Bridge
Am C F Dm (3x)
(Slowing) Dm F Am C
verse 4
C Am
In a Texas bar there's a man sittin' alone
C Am
Thinkin' of a girl he swore he'd wait there for
F
But he's drinkin' beers and he's feelin' old
Rememberin' every lie he's told
Am
'Til he changes his mind and he leaves.
C Am
Abilene, Abilene
F Dm C Am
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F Dm F Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F F
Forget everything
C Am F Dm
Abilene.
Outro
C Am F Dm
Oh, Abilene, Abilene
C Am F Dm (Repeat and fade)