Kris Kristofferson - To Beat The Devil
Intro
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Verse 1 (spoken)
G C G
It was winter time in Nashville, down on music city row
D
And I was lookin' for a place to get myself out of the cold
C D G Em
To warm the frozen feelin' that was eatin' at my soul
C D
And keep the chilly wind off my guitar
G C G
My thirsty wanted whisky, my hungry needed beans
G D
But it'd been of month of paydays since I've heard that eagle scream
C D G Em
So with my stomach full of empty and a pocket full of dreams
C D G
I left my pride and stepped inside a bar
Em
Actually I guess you could call it a Tavern
C Am D
Cigarette smoke to the ceiling and sawdust on the floor
G
Friendly shadows
C G
I saw that there was just one old man sittin' at the bar
D
And in the mirror I could see him checkin' me and my guitar
C D G Em
He turned and said "Come up here boy and show us what you are"
C D
I said "I'm dry" and he brought me a beer
G C G
He nodded at my guitar and said "It's a tough life, ain't it"
D
I just looked at him, and he said "You ain't makin' any money, are ya?"
C D G
I said "You've been readin' my mail". He just smiled and said
Em C G
Let me see your guitar, I've got something you want to hear.
Then he laid it on me
Chorus
G C
If you waste your time a talkin' to the people who don't listen
G D
To the things that you are sayin', who do you think's gonna hear
G C
And if you should die explaining how the things that they complain about
G D G
Are things they could be changin' who do you think's gonna care
D C G
There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind
D
Who were crucified for what they tried to show
G C G
And their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time
D G
Cause the truth remains that no one wants to know
Verse 2 (spoken)
G C G
Well, the old man was a stranger, but I'd heard his song before
D
Back when failure had me locked out on the wrong side of the door
C D G Em
When no one stood behind me but my shadow on the floor
C D
And lonesome was more than a state of mind
G C G
You see, the devil haunts a hungry man
D
If you don't wanna join him you got to beat him
C D G Em
I ain't sayin' I beat the devil but I drank his beer for nothing
C D G
Then I stole his song
Chorus
G C
And you still can hear me singin' to the people who don't listen
G D
To the things that I am sayin' prayin' someone’s gonna hear
G C
And I guess I'll die explaining how the things that they complain about
G D G
Are things they could be changin' hopin' someone’s gonna care
D C G
I was born a lowly singer, and I'm bound to die the same
C G D
But I've got to feed the hunger in my soul
G C G
And if I never have a nickel I won't ever die ashamed
D G
Cause I don't believe that no one wants to know
