Ballad of Donald White chords by Bob Dylan
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Intro 1
(D major)
Verse 1
My name (D major) is Donald White, (G major) you see,
I stand (A major) before (D major) you all.
I was judged by you a mur (G major) derer (D major)
And the hangman's knot must fall. (A major)
I will (D major) die upon the gallows (G major) (D major) pole
When the moon is shining clear, (G major)
And these (D major) are my fi (G major) nal words
That you (A major) will ever (D major) hear.
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Verse 2
I left my home in (D major) Kansas
When I was very young,
I landed in the old Northwest,
Seattle, Washington
Although I'd a- traveled many miles,
I never made a friend,
For I could never get along in life
With people that I met.
Verse 3
If (D major) I had some education (G major)
To give (A major) me a (D major) decent start,
I might have been a doc (G major) tor (D major) or
A master (A major) in the arts.
But I used (D major) my hands for (G major) stealing (D major)
When I was very young, (G major)
And they locked (D major) me down
in jail (G major) house cells,
That's how (A major) my life (D major) begun.
Verse 4
(D major)
Oh, the inmates and the pris (G major) oners,
I found (A major) they were (D major) my kind,
And it was there inside (G major) the bars (D major)
I found my peace (A major) of mind.
But the jails (D major) they were too crowded, (G major)
(D major) Institutions overflowed, (G major)
So they turned (D major) me loose to walk (G major) upon
Life's (A major) hurried tangled (D major) road.
Verse 5
(D major)
And there's danger on the ocean (G major)
Where the salt (A major) sea waves split (D major) high,
And there's danger on the battlefield (G major)
(D major) Where the shells of bullet (A major) s fly,
And there's danger (D major) in this open (G major) world
(D major) Where men strive to be free, (G major)
And for me (D major) the greatest danger (G major)
Was in (A major) soci (D major) ety.
Verse 6
(D major)
So I asked them to send me (G major) back
To the (A major) institution home. (D major)
But they said they were too crowded, (G major)
(D major) For me they had no (A major) room.
I got (D major) down on my knees (G major) and begged,
(D major) "Oh, please put me away," (G major)
But they would (D major) not listen to (G major) my plea
Or (A major) nothing I (D major) would say.
Verse 7
(D major)
And so it was on Christmas (G major) eve
In the year (A major) of (D major) '59,
It was on that night I killed (G major) a man, (D major)
I did not try (A major) to hide,
The jury (D major) found me (G major) guilty (D major)
And I won't disagree, (G major)
For I knew (D major) that it would hap (G major) pen
If I was (A major) n't put away. (D major)
Verse 8
(D major)
And I'm glad I've had no par (G major) ents
To care (A major) for me (D major) or cry,
For now they will never (G major) know (D major)
The horrible death I (A major) die.
And I'm also (D major) glad I've
had (G major) no friend (D major) s
To see me in disgrace, (G major)
For they'll nev (D major) er see that
hang (G major) man's hood
Wrap (A major) around (D major) my face.
Verse 9
(D major)
Farewell unto the old (G major) north woods
Of which (A major) I used to (D major) roam,
Farewell unto the crowded (G major) bars (D major)
Of which've (A major) been my home,
Farewell (D major) to all you people (G major) (D major)
Who think the worst of me, (G major)
I guess (D major) you'll feel much (G major) better when
I'm on (A major) that hanging (D major) tree.
Verse 10
(D major)
But there's just one question (G major)
Before (A major) they kill (D major) me dead,
I'm wondering just (G major) how much (D major)
To you I really said (A major)
Con (D major) cerning all the boys
(G major) that (D major) come
Down a road like (G major) me,
Are they enemies (D major) or vic (G major) tims
Of your (A major) soci (D major) ety?
Outro 1
(D major)
Ballad of Donald White
Bob Dylan
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