The Sky Above, the Mud Below chords by Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Tom Russell
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Intro 1
(A minor)
Verse 1
(A minor) Two men rode in from (C major) the south,
a rainy autumn night (A minor)
The Sky (G major) above and the mud
be (A minor) low
They walked into the Dea (C major) con's bar,
they were Mexican by (A minor) sight
The sky (G major) above and the mud
be (A minor) low
They threw (C major) a horsehair (G major) bridle down,
(D major) we trade this for (G major) whis (F major) key rounds
(A minor) The Deacon (G major) slams a bottle (E major) down,
the two men start to drink (A minor) in'
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Verse 2
Their (A minor) hair was long and black, (C major)
tied up behind their (A minor) ears (G major) (A minor)
Their faces were identic (C major) al,
like one man beside a mir (A minor) ror (G major) (G minor) (G major) (A minor)
Then someone (C major) whispered that (G major) beats all,
their (D major) wanted posters (F major) on the wall
Twin (A minor) brothers name (G major) of Sandoval, (E major)
horse thieves from Boquillas
Verse 3
Now (A minor) the bridle and the belt (C major) s they wore were
braided gray and black (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
The color of a roan (C major) horse once
belonged to Deacon Black
(A minor) (G major) (A minor) The fastest (C major) horse for miles (G major) around,
he'd been stolen (D major) from the old (F major) fairground
A month (A minor) ago (G major) outside (E major) of town
we tracked and never found (A minor) him
Verse 4
(A minor)
Now the Deacon was a preach (C major) er who
had fallen hard from grace (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
He owned the bar and a string (C major) of quarter
horses that he'd race (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
Yea, Deacon (C major) he could drink (G major) and curse,
though (D major) he still quoted sac (F major) red verse
He was sher (A minor) iff, (G major) judge; he (F major) owned the hearse, (E major)
a man you did not (A minor) anger
Verse 5
The sky (C major) above, the mud (G major) below,
the wind (D major) and rain, the sleet (F major) and snow
Two (A minor) horse (G major) thieves from (F major) Mexico (E major)
drinkin' hard and singin'
(A minor)
Verse 6
One brother he spoke (C major) English,
Deac inquires as to their work (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
The man says mister we (C major) braid horsehair bridles,
ropes and quirts (A minor)
Yea, (G major) that (A minor) (C major) fine bridle we (G major) did make,
a roan (D major) horse killed by leg- (F major) bone break
He's horsehair (A minor) (G major) rope now; (F major) horse- meat steak, (E major)
we cleaned him to the bone
(A minor)
Verse 7
Well these gentlemen they were ig (C major) norant or didn't
know just where they were (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
The Deacon's face grew darker (C major) as he
measured every word (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
You horsehair (C major) braidin' sons (G major) o' witches
stole (D major) my claim to earthly (F major) riches
Someone (A minor) go (G major) and (F major) dig a ditch,
(E major) there may well be a hangin'
(A minor)
Verse 8
One brother reached inside (C major) his shirt
searching for his gun (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
Too late, for Deac had whipped (C major)
around his sawed off Remington
(A minor) (G major) (A minor) The twins, (C major) they raised their hands (G major) and sneered,
(D major) Deac was grinnin' ear (F major) to ear
He says (A minor) court's in ses (G major) sion, hear ye (F major) hear,
(E major) yours truly is presid (A minor) in'
Verse 9
(A minor)
Well the trial com (A minor) menced and ended (C major) quick they
didn't have a hope (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
Deac says we'll cut your hair (C major) now boys and
you can braid yourselves a rope (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
The Old Testament, (C major)
(G major) it says somewhere (D major) eye for eye and hair (F major) for hair
Covet not (G major) thy neighbors mare, (E major)
I believe it's Revelation (A minor) s
Verse 10
(A minor)
Now the fancy horsehair bridle, (C major)
it hangs on Deacon's wall (A minor) (G major) (A minor)
Next to that wanted poster (C major) of
the brothers Sandoval
(A minor) (G major) (A minor) And he twisted (C major) rope so (G major) shiny black,
the (D major) artifact that broke (F major) their necks
Their craftsman (A minor) (G major) ship he did (F major) respect,
(E major) they shoulda stuck to braidin'
(A minor)
Verse 11
The sky (C major) above the mud (G major) below,
the (D major) wind and rain, the sleet (F major) and snow
The (A minor) Deacon's (G major) hearse is rollin' (F major) slow
in the first (E major) blue light of mornin'
(A minor)
The Sky Above, the Mud Below
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Tom Russell
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