Back Road Into Town chords by The Staple Singers

SimplifiedG · Gsus4 · C · Em · Am …

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G
Gsus4
C
Em
Am
D
Dsus4
Ab
Bbm
C#
Eb
Ebsus4
Fm

Verse 1
G 
Gsus4 
C 
G 
Em 
G 
Gsus4 
C 
I asked
G 
Am 
mama many times what kept papa so far behind
C 
D 
What in the world was holding
Dsus4 
G 
my       daddy down
Am 
Papa always dropped his head, but he  seemed so afraid,
C 
D 
C 
G 
like he was carrying a heavy burden all the time.
Am 
There was a man up in the big house, your papa was afraid to speak out,
C 
Dsus4 
D 
Dsus4 
G 
the man kept my daddy's nose right on the      ground.
Girl, your papa, was mighty good
Am 
He was doin' the best he could
C 
All his life he lived
Dsus4 
G 
just for you
Em 
G 
Twelve kids, he had a heavy load
C 
He couldn't walk the front road
Am 
D 
G 
On his face he always wore a frown
C 
It was for you and the others too, he was trying to make it through,
Am 
D 
Dsus4 
G 
he had to take the back road into town
Am 
Every year your papa would say, next year we're gonna move away,
C 
G 
I wanna take my children away from here
He said, I've almost lost my fear,
Am 
I think I see my way clear
C 
Am 
I'm gonna take a stand
Dsus4 
G 
and be the      man
But then the man would come
from the big house
Am 
Daddy would always back out
C 
And then right up again
Dsus4 
C 
G 
behind the plow
But 12 kids, had a heavy load
C 
He couldn't walk the front of the road
Am 
D 
Dsus4 
G 
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others too
C 
He was trying to make it through
Am 
He had to take the back
C 
G 
Ab 
road into town
When he finally made up his mind
Bbm 
Your daddy had wasted too much time
Ab 
Your papa just put it off a little too long
Cause all the years that papa was sleepin'
Bbm 
All the time  kept right on creepin'
C# 
Till it was time for him to lay
Eb 
Ebsus4 
Ab 
Bbm 
his body      down
Ab 
He did it all against his will
Bbm 
It got lost back in them fields
C# 
Eb 
My daddy never made
Ebsus4 
Ab 
it        into town
Well, kids, had a heavy load
C# 
He couldn't walk the front road
Bbm 
On his face he al
Ebsus4 
Ab 
ways      wore a crown
Fm 
Ab 
It was for you and the others, too
Fm 
C# 
He was tryin' to make it through
Bbm 
Oh, but he    had to take the
Eb 
Ab 
Bbm 
back road into town
Ab 
Fm 
Ab 
Oh, kids, yeah, oh, hell no
C# 
He couldn't walk the front road
Bbm 
Ebsus4 
On his face he always
Ab 
Bbm 
wore a frown
Ab 
It was for you and the others, too
C# 
He was tryin' to make it through
Bbm 
But he had to take the
Ebsus4 
Ab 
back road in this town
Bbm 
Ab 
Oh, 12 kids he had
He couldn't walk the front road