Em C
When I was just a young boy, on the okalhoma plains
Em C
I tried to keep my shoes shined, tried to keep a clean name
G F C
Way over town, lived a boy named Eugene Pratt
Em D C
And we weren’t allowed to talk to him, say hi and none of that no no
Em C
I went off to school, Eugene sat right in front of my desk
Em C
The kids they made fun of him, cause Gene was such a mess Lord
G F C
But oh, he worked hard, and he took home a mess of good grades
Em D C
And when it came time for him to go to big school, Eugene went far away
D Em D C
Cause that’s the way it was, and that’s the way it is
D Em D C
And that’s the way it was, and that’s the way it is
Em C
I went off to college, got myself a job in the campus store
Em C
But in the meantime, Gene spent his time writin’ bout the world and war
G F C
I didn’t understand, all the things he was talkin about
Em D C
So my friends and me from that old fraternity, got drunk and blocked it all out (Yes we did)
Em C
And then we graduated, lost our deference, our excuse.
Em C
And the man said, come here boys, gonna put your education to a good use
G F C
Went down to the draft board, saw Eugene lookin’ alive and well
Em D C
But when it came time to put his name on the line, he told them boys to go to hell (Yes he did)
Em C
Eugene was by far the smartest, the most concerned with humanity
Em C
But it was him they took, far away, and stuck in a penitentiary lordy
G F C
I can’t help but wonder, if we’d all stand up like him
Em D C
Then there’d be no one to carry those damn guns for something nobody believes in
D Em D C
But that ain’t the way it was, that ain’t the way it is
D Em D C
That ain’t the way it was, that ain’t the way it is
D Em D C
That ain’t the way it was, that ain’t the way it is
D Em D C
That ain’t the way it was, that ain’t the way it is
