Intro: C
F
Years ago on an April day
G C
A crowd gathered from miles around
F
Over a thousand, I heard one say
G C
All around me on the square in town
F
Ladies dressed up in their best
G C
Kids ran around and played
F
They all come to see me, I guess
G C
Me and the sheriff and a man in chains
F C
The Reverend Sam began a prayer
F C
To the women, the men, the boys and girls
F C
"We are graveyard sons and daughters
G
Passing through an unfriendly world"
C F
A few last words and down he goes
G C
Teeth bared in an awful grin
F
A cheer rises up from the crowd
G C
As I hold him, twistin' in the wind
F
Men held up their babies to see
G C
Reporters jotted down a tale
F
Hawkers brought out lemonade
G C
And the ladies headed for the hanging day sale
F
From time to time these folks would come
G C
And all but one would walk away
F
I'd shudder as the rope snapped tight
G C
But I got used to hanging day
F
Now they don't gather 'round no more
G C
Though I'm tall and stouter still
F
Now they do it all behind closed doors
G C
They say it's a better way to kill
F C
The Reverend Sam began a prayer
F C
To the women, the men, the boys and girls
F C
"We are graveyard sons and daughters
G
Passing through an unfriendly world"
C F
A few last words and down he goes
G C
Teeth bared in an awful grin
F
A cheer rises up from the crowd
G C
As I hold him, twistin' in the wind
F G
One more poor boy dead and gone
C
Twistin' in the wind
OUTRO: C