He Was In Heaven Before He Died
John PrineVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
There's a rainbow of babies
Draped over the graveyard
Where all the dead sailors
Wait for their brides
And the cold bitter snow
Has strangled each grassblade
Where the salt from their tears
Washed out with the tide
And I smiled on the Wabash
The last time I passed it
Yes I gave her a wink
From the passenger side
And my foot fell asleep
As I swallowed my candy
Knowing he was in heaven
Before he died
Now the harbor's on fire
With the dreams and desires
Of a thousand young poets
Who failed 'cause they tried
For a rhyme without reason
Floats down to the bottom
Where the scavengers eat 'em
And wash in with the tide
(Repeat Chorus)
The sun can play tricks
With your eyes on the highway
The moon can lay sideways
Till the ocean stands still
But a person can't tell
His best friend he loves him
Till time has stopped breathing
You're alone on the hill
(Repeat Chorus)
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Readable chord sheet for He Was In Heaven Before He Died by John Prine
[C] [C]There's a rainbow of [F]babies Draped [G]over the grave[C]yard Where [F]all the dead [C]sailors Wait for their [G]brides And the [C]cold bitter snow Has [F]strangled each [C]grassblade Where the [F]salt from their [C]tears [G]Washed out with the [C]tide And I [F]smiled on the [C]Wabash The [G]last time I [C]passed it Yes I [F]gave her a [C]wink From the passenger [G]side And my [C]foot fell asleep As I [F]swallowed my [C]candy Knowing [F]he was in [C]heaven [G]Before he [C]died Now the [C]harbor's on [F]fire With the [G]dreams and de[C]sires Of a [F]thousand young [C]poets Who failed 'cause they [G]tried For a [C]rhyme without reason Floats [F]down to the [C]bottom Where the [F]scavengers [C]eat 'em And [G]wash in with the [C]tide (Repeat Chorus) The [C]sun can play [F]tricks With your [G]eyes on the [C]highway The [F]moon can lay [C]sideways Till the ocean stands [G]still But a [C]person can't tell His [F]best friend he [C]loves him Till [F]time has stopped [C]breathing You're [G]alone on the [C]hill (Repeat Chorus)