The Ballad Of Spider John
Willis Alan RamseyVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Spider John is my name friend
I'm in between freights and sure would be obliged
If I could share your company
I'm on my way to nowhere
Been runnin' from my past
runnin' from the things I use to be-eeee
now I know my words sound strange to you
But if you wait till my song is sung and the story's told
You might come to understand
How I'm old and bent and Devil sent, and runnin' out of time
When not long ago I held a Royal Flush in my hand
Oh, I was a Supermarket fool
I was a motor bank stool-pidgeon, robbin' my hometown
I thought I lost my blues, yes I thought I paid my dues
And I thought I'd found a life to suit my style
And old Spider John, robber man
long, tall, and handsome
Yes, old Spider John with a loaded hand, takin' ransom
Then one day I met Diamond Lil
and she was the sweetest thing, I declare
That the summer wind had ever blown my way
But Lil she had no idea, of my illustrious occupation
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner, gone astray-ay
Spider he loved his lady so much, he would not confess his sins
For I knew if I did the lady would surely take her leave
But you know that the word got around and Lilly left town
And he never saw her again
Tossin' and turnin', 'causin' his heart to grieve
(repeat chorus)
That is all my story
It's been these thirty years since I took the road
To find my precious jewel one
If you see my Lilly, won't you give her my regards?
Tell her old Spider got tangled in the black web that he spun
You can tell her that Spider got tangled in the black web that he spun
Additions/corrections are welcome
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Readable chord sheet for The Ballad Of Spider John by Willis Alan Ramsey
[Am]
[Am]Spider John is my name fr[C]iend
[D]I'm in between freights and sure would be obliged [Am]
If I could share[C] your company [G]
[Am]I'm on my way to nowhere [C]
Been runnin[D]' from my past [G]
[Am]runnin' from the things[C] I use to be-eeee [G]
now I kn[Am]ow my words sound strange to you [C]
But if you wait [D]till my song is sung and the story's told [Am]
You might come to [C]understand [G]
How I'm old and[Am] bent and Devil sent, a[C]nd runnin' out of time [D] [G]
When not long ago[Am] I held a Royal Flush [C]in my hand [D]
Oh, I was a Superm[Em]arket fool [Em7]
I was a moto[A7]r bank stool-pidgeon, robbin' my hometo[Em]wn [Em7] [A7]
I th[Em]ought I lost my blues,[Em7] yes I thought[A7] I paid my dues
And I thou[F]ght I'd found a life to suit [C]my style [G] [Em]
And old Spider[G] John, robber man [F]
[C] long, tall, and hands[Am]ome
Yes, old Spide[G]r John with a loaded hand, [F]takin' ransom [C] [Am]
Then one day I met Diamond Lil [C]
and she[D] was the sweetest thing, I declare
That the summe[Am]r wind had ever blown my [C]way [G]
But Lil[Am] she had no idea, o[C]f my illustrious occ[D]upation [G]
She tho[Am]ught I was a saint, not a sinner, gone [C]astray-ay [G]
[Am]Spider he loved his lady so[C] much, he would not [D]confess his sins
For I knew if I did the la[Am]dy would surely [C]take her leave [G]
But you know that the word got arou[Am]nd and Lilly left town [C]
And he never [D]saw her again [G]
[Am]Tossin' and turnin', 'causin[C]' his heart to grieve [D]
(repeat chorus)
[Am]That is all my story[C]
It's b[D]een these thirty years since I took the road [Am]
To find my pr[C]ecious jewe[G]l one
[Am]If you see my Li[C]lly, won't you give he[D]r my regards? [G]
Tell her old [Am]Spider got tangled in [C]the black web tha[G]t he spun
You can tell her that[Am] Spider got tangled in[C] the black web th[G]at he spun
Additions/corrections are welcome