don mclean
John Wayne on his deathbed, boots off, grandchildren gathered around, sobbing and carefully listening? Dunno.
This song is from Don McLean's self-titled 1972 album, slightly political and a bit ironic. Always loved the "whoopie tie-ie" break.
«One man's work is another man's pay» ... a couple of cowboys have already been Presidents of the USA, promoting the extortion road. A third one is nowadays going for the same; wearing a red cap instead of a Stetson hat, claiming the right to be wealthy as Hell at the expense of others. When will they ever learn?
I could have been most anything I'd put my mind to be
but a cowboy's life's the only life for me
it's a strong man's occupation riding herd and living free
but strong men often fail where shrewed men can prevail
I'm an old man now with nothing more to say
but oh god how I worked my youth away
you may not recognize my face • I used to be a star
a cowboy hero known both near and far
I perched upon a silver mount and sang with my guitar
but the studio of course owned my saddle and my horse
but that sixgun on the wall belongs to me
oh god I can't live a memory
you know I'd like to put my finger on the trigger once again
and point that gun at all those prideful men
all the voyeurs and the lawyers who can pull a fountain pen
and put you where they choose with the language that they use
and enslave you till you work your youth away
oh god how I worked my youth away
whoopie tie ie oh • whoopie tie ie ay
one man's work is another man's pay
oh god how I worked my youth away
you see I've always liked the notion of a cowboy's fighting crime
this photograph was taken in my prime
I could beat those desperados but there's no sense fighting time
but the singing was a ball cause I'm not musical at all
I moved my lips to someone elses's voice
yes I could have been most anything I'd put my mind to be
but a cowboy's life was the only life for me
it's a strong man's occupation riding herd and living free
but strong men often fail where shrewed men can prevail
I'm an old man now with nothing more to say
but oh god how I worked my youth away
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
A C#7 D E A I could have been most anything I'd put my mind to be D A E E7 but a cowboy's life's the only life for me A C#7 D B7 it's a strong man's occupation riding herd and living free F#m B7 F#m B7 but strong men often fail where shrewed men can prevail Bm Bm7(/A) E E7 I'm an old man now with nothing more to say D Amaj7 Bm C#m E E7 A but oh god how I worked my youth away A Amaj7(/G#) F#m A7 whoopie tie ie oh whoopie tie ie ay C#m F#m Bm7 E7 one man's work is another man's pay D Amaj7 Bm C#m E E7 A oh god how I worked my youth away
