Key: D major•
Intro 1
D
Bm
A
D
Bm
A
Verse 1
D
Bm
Nobody knew where he came from
D
Bm
They only knew he came in
D
Bm
Slowly he walked to the end of the bar
Em
F#
And he ordered up one slug of gin
Bm
Em
Well, I could see that he wasn't a large man
A
D
I could tell that he wasn't too tall
F#
Bm
I judged him to be 'bout five-foot three
E
A
And his voice was a soft Texas drawl
Verse 2
D
Bm
Said he was needin' some wages
D
Bm
'Fore he could ride for the west
D
Bm
Said he could do most all kind of work
Em
F#
Said he could ride with the best
Bm
Em
There in his blue eyes was sadness
A
D
That comes from the need of a friend
F#
Bm
And though he tried, he still couldn't hide
E
A
The loneliness there, deep within
Verse 3
D
Bm
Said he would work through the winter
D
Bm
For thirty a month and his board
D
Bm
I started to say where he might land a job
Em
F#
When a fellow came in through the door
Bm
Em
And I could tell he was lookin' for trouble
A
D
From the way that he came stompin' in
F#
Bm
He told me to leave Shorty there by himself
E
A
Come down and wait on a man
Verse 4
D
Bm
The eyes of the little man narrowed
D
Bm
The smile disappeared from his face
D
Bm
Gone was the friendliness that I had seen
Em
F#
And a wild look of hate took its' place
Bm
Em
But the big one continued to mock him
A
D
And he told me that I'd better go
F#
Bm
Find him a couple of glasses of milk
E
A
Then maybe Shorty would grow
Verse 5
D
Bm
When the little man spoke, there was stillness
D
Bm
He made sure that everyone heard
D
Bm
Slowly he stepped away from the bar
Em
F#
And I still remember these words
Bm
Em
Oh! it's plain that you're lookin' for trouble
A
D
Trouble's what I try to shun
E
A
'Cause cowboy, we're both packin' guns
Verse 6
D
Bm
His hand was already positioned
D
Bm
Feet wide apart on the floor
D
Bm
I hadn't noticed but there on his hip
Em
F#
Was a short-barreled Forty-Four
Bm
Em
It was plain he was ready and waitin'
A
D
He leaned a bit forward and said
E
A
Maybe you'd rather be dead
Verse 7
D
Bm
In the room was a terrible silence
D
Bm
As the big one stepped out on the floor
D
Bm
All drinkin' stopped and the tick of the clock
Em
F#
Said death would wait ten seconds more
Bm
Em
He cursed once or twice in a whisper
A
D
And he said with a snarl on his lips
F#
Bm
Nobody's Mister to me, little man!
E
A
And he grabbed for the gun on his hips
Verse 8
D
Bm
But the little man's hands was like lightning
D
Bm
The bad Forty-Four was the same
Em
F#
And seventeen inches of flame
Bm
Em
For the big one had never cleared leather
A
D
Beaten before he could start
F#
Bm
A little round hole had appeared on his shirt
E
A
The bullet went clear through his heart
Verse 9
D
Bm
The little man stood there a moment
D
Bm
Then holstered the bad Forty-Four
D
Bm
It's always this way so I never stay
Em
F#
Slowly he walked out the door
Bm
Em
Nobody knew where he came from
A
D
They won't forget he came by
F#
Bm
They won't forget how a Forty-Four gun
E
A
One night made the difference in size
Verse 10
D
Bm
As for me, I'll remember the sadness
D
Bm
Shown in the eyes of the man
D
Bm
If we meet someday, you can bet I would say
E
A
G
That it's me, Mr. Shorty, your friend
A
A
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TunerE A D G B E
ChordsD Bm A Em F#...
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