[Verse 1]
D
Elijah came to Texas
G
To build his family a home
D
With his wife and new baby
G
And what little goods that they owned
D
Had a good yoke of oxen
G
And hand tools for clearing the land
A
And he built him a church
A7 D
'Cause he was a God fearin' man
[Verse 2]
D
All of his children when there
G
Worshiped here through the years
D
On down to my granddad
G
He's buried 'bout 40 yards from here
D
It's where I was baptized
G
And where I took me a wife
A
And if I have my say so
A7 D
That's where I'll rest when it's time
[Chorus]
D
When I'm dead and I'm gone
Won't you carry me home
To that little white church
G D
In my daddy's home town
D
'Cause Lord knows I'm some kind of sinner
Em
But I've done come this far
A
And it's too late for changin'
D
When this race has been run
Take me back where I came from
Bm A
And let me return what I took from the ground
G D
When this body won't carry me no further
Take me back
A7 D
And lay me down
[verse 3]
D
That old east Texas red dirt
G
Won't grow much of nothin' they say
D
'Cept tomatoes and peaches
G
They mostly drill for oil nowadays
D
And a hired hand named Regan
G
First made me understand
A A7 D
And he told me the red was the blood of my kin in the land
[Chorus]
D
When I'm dead and I'm gone
Won't you carry me home
To that little white church
G D
In my daddy's home town
D
Cause lord knows I'm some kinda sinner
Em
But I've done come this far
A
And it's too late for changing
D
When tis race has been run
Take me back where I came from
Bm A
And let me return what I took from the ground
G D
When this body won't carry me no further
Take me back
A7 D
And lay me down
