Long Time Gone

Either there's a  
Capo on the 1st fret, or the guitar is tuned a little high 


   D 
My parents raised me tenderly 
  C              D 
I was their only son. 
   D 
My mind got mixed with ramblin' 
     C            D 
When I was all so young. 
      D 
An' I left my home the first time 
     C                D 
When I was twelve an' one. 
      D 
I'm a long time a-comin', Ma 
     C              D 
I'll be a long time gone. 


  D 
On the western side of Texas 
  C            D 
On the Texas plains 
  D 
I tried to find a job of work 
        C                  D 
But they said I's young of age. 
    D         
My eyes they burned when I heard 
   C                  D 
"Go home where you belong!" 
      D 
I'm a long time a-comin' 
     C               D 
I'll be a long time gone. 


    D 
I remember when I's ramblin' 
   C                      D 
Around with the carnival trains. 
  D 
Different towns, different people 
    C                   D 
Somehow they're all the same 
  D 
I remember children's faces best 
     C               D 
I remember travelin' on. 
      D 
I'm a long time a-comin' 
     C               D 
I'll be a long time gone. 


  D 
I once loved a fair young maid 
       C               D 
An' I ain't too big to tell 
      D 
If she broke my heart a single time 
    C               D 
She broke it ten or twelve. 
  D 
I walked an' talked all by myself 
      C           D 
I did not tell no one. 
      D 
I'm a long time a-comin', babe 
     C               D 
I'll be a long time gone. 





 D 
Many times by the highway side 
   C              D 
I tried to flag a ride 
     D 
With bloodshot eyes an' grittin' teeth 
    C                   D 
I'd watch the cars roll by. 
    D 
The empty air hung in my head 
   C                 D 
I's thinkin' all day long. 
     D 
I'm a long time a-comin' 
         C              D 
An' I'll be a long time gone. 


    D 
You might see me on your crossroads 
C                D 
When I'm passin' thru 
   D 
Remember me how you wished to 
      C                     D 
As I'm a-driftin' from your view. 
  D 
I ain't got the time to think about it 
  C                   D 
I got too much to get done. 
           D 
Well, I'm a long time a-comin' 
         C              D 
An' I'll be a long time gone. 


  D 
If I can't help somebody 
C              D 
With a word or song 
  D 
If I can't show somebody 
    C             D 
They are travelin' wrong. 
   D 
But I know I ain't no prophet 
      C                  D 
An' I ain't no prophet's son. 
           D 
I'm just a long time a-comin' 
         C               D 
An' I'll be a long time gone. 


  D 
So you can have your beauty 
      C                   D 
It's skin deep an' it only lies 
   D 
An' you can have your youth 
      C               D 
It'll rot before your eyes. 
     D 
Just give to me my gravestone 
       C                D 
With it clearly carved upon. 
      D 
"I's a long time a-comin' 
         C                D 
An' I'll be a long time gone."