Billy the Bum

Billy the Bum easy guitar chords by John Prine

N/A
Guitar
Tuning

E A D G B E

Capo

Fret 3

Capo

Transpose

0

Capo
  • D

  • Em

  • A

  • G

  • E

  • D

  • Em

  • A

  • G

  • E

  • Intro 1
    D
    Em
    D
    A
    D

    Verse 1

    D

    Billy,

    the bum lived by the thumb

    And sang of the hobo's delight
    A

    He'd prove he could run

    Twice as fast as the sun
    D

    By losing his shadow at night

    Now he loved every girl

    In this curly headed world
    G

    But no one will know it seems

    For two twisted legs and
    D

    a childhood disease
    A

    Left Billy just a bum in his dreams
    D
    Verse 2
    G
    D

    And he was just a gentle boy
    A
    D

    A real fluorescent light
    G
    D

    Cried pennies on Sunday morning
    A

    Laughs nickels on Saturday night
    D

    And your bullets, they can't harm him
    G

    Nor your knives tear him apart
    Em
    D

    Humiliation killed him
    A

    God bless his little heart
    Interlude 1
    D
    G
    D
    A
    D


    A
    Now he
    Verse 3
    D

    lived all alone in a run down home
    A

    Near the side of the old railroad track

    Where the trains used to run

    Carryin' freight by the ton
    D

    Blow the whistle as Billy'd wave back

    But the children around

    Billy's home town
    G

    Seemed to have nothin' better to do

    Then run around his house
    D

    With their tongues from their mouth
    A

    Make fun of that crippled old fool
    D
    Verse 4

    G
    D

    And he was just a gentle boy
    A
    D

    A real fluorescent light
    G
    D

    Cried pennies on Sunday morning
    A

    Laughs nickels on Saturday night
    D

    And your bullets, they can't harm him
    G

    Nor your knives tear him apart
    D

    Humiliation killed him
    A

    God bless his little heart
    Interlude 2
    D
    G
    D
    E
    D


    Verse 5
    D

    Now some folks they wait

    and some folks they pray
    A

    For Jesus to rise up again

    But none of these folks in their holy cloaks
    D

    Ever took Billy on as a friend

    For pity's a crime

    And it ain't worth a dime
    G

    To a person who's really in need
    Em

    Just treat 'em the same
    G
    D

    As you would your own name
    A

    Next time that your heart starts to bleed
    D
    Verse 6

    G
    D

    And he was just a gentle boy
    A
    D

    A real fluorescent light
    G
    D

    Cried pennies on Sunday morning
    A

    Laughs nickels on Saturday night
    D

    And your bullets, they can't harm him
    G

    Nor your knives tear him apart
    D

    Humiliation killed him
    A

    God bless his little heart
    D

    How did you like the song?

    1.0 (1)
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