Wendell Walker
Andy Shauf
play normal chord shapes or play
Andy’s chord shapes
G = 320000
C = 332000
Em = 022000
D = 554000
Bm = 075000
[Intro]
Am G C
[Verse]
Am G C
Wendell Walker was a friend of mine.
Am G C
we’d stain our teeth in the summertime,
Am G
and with lips of purple, the winter would roll
C Em
past the boarded windows into our souls
A D
and shake our weary bones.
[Verse]
Am G C
now this past winter was the coldest in years.
Am G C
it’s hard to explain if you've never lived here,
Am G
but it locks your doors and starts your mind
C Em
thinking in circles just to pass the time,
A D
and breaks your weary heart.
[Verse]
Am G C
now Wendell Walker was a man of God,
Am G C
but he didn’t care much for his sober mind,
Am G
and when the cold mixed in he was turned around
C Em
heard the voice of God and the angels sound
A D
a message just for him:
[Chorus]
Bm C Em A D Bm C
my son, my son, she is the devil’s child
Bm C
won’t you save her while you can
Bm C D
cut down the other man.
[Verse]
Am G C
now Wendell Walker was a friend of mine,
Am G C
but he married too young in the summertime.
Am G
their hearts weren’t ripe so they fell apart
C Em
and I found myself with a joyful heart
A D
as our secret lives began.
[Verse]
Am G C
we found our moments in between the hours,
Am G C
when Wendell Walker drove his car to town.
Am G
but one day he found a letter that I wrote for her
C Em
on the top of her dresser and in his winter mind
A D
he heard the voice of God say:
[Chorus]
Bm C Em A D Bm C
my son, my son, she is the devil’s child
Bm C
won’t you save her while you can
Bm C D
cut down the other man.
[Verse]
Am G C
with the voice of the lord ringing in his ears
Am G C
and the note to his wife that confirmed his fears,
Am G
he sat down on the edge of the bed
C Em
read the letter again to see who’d sent it
A D
but it was signed ‘forever yours’.
[Verse]
Am G C
he stood up slow like he’d just been hit.
Am G C
walked into the kitchen where his wife was sitting
Am G
he said, “my mother called on the telephone
C Em
she says she needs some help so I’ll be back in the morning"
A D
and he grabbed his heavy coat.
[Verse]
Am G C
my phone rang while I was watching the news.
Am G C
she said the house was ours to cure these winter blues.
Am G
so I made my way, and we turned the blinds
C Em
and Wendell walked in just in time
A D
to see our secret die and say:
[Pre-Chorus]
Bm C Em A D Bm C
my son, my son I’m gonna have to cut you down.
Bm C
he pointed his rifle to my eyes
Bm C
but his hesitating hands
Bm C
were shaking from the cold.
Bm C
so I pushed his gun away,
Bm C
just as he found his strength.
Bm C
and the bullet kissed her lips
D
and I cried:
[Chorus]
Bm C Em A D Bm C
my god, my god what have I done?
Bm C
and he reloaded his gun,
Bm C
and he put it in his mouth.
Bm C D
and I stood in the room that I’d created.
[Outro]
D C x4
