To Beat the Devil - chords, tab and comments
Kris introduces the song this way on the 1970 "Kristofferson" album:
"A couple of years back I came across a great and wasted friend of mine in the hallway of a recording studio. And while he was reciting some poetry to me that he had written, I saw that he was about a step away from dying, and I couldn't help but wonder why. And the lines of this song occurred to me. I'm happy to say he's no longer wasted, and he's got him a good woman. And I'd like to dedicate this to John and June, who helped showed me how to beat the devil."
Johnny acknowledged this by recording it with the album "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash". Their outlaw friend Waylon Jennings, too ... but as far as I know, nobody else has done.
The verses are recited, only the refrain has a distict melody. Then, much are up to you. I'm doing a few clawhammer tricks during the verses.
G ... E ... A7 ... D7 ... G G G7 C it was winter time in Nashville down on music city row G Em A7 D7 and I was looking for a place to get myself out of the cold G G7 C to warm the frozen feeling that was eating at my soul G D7 G and keep the chilly wind off me and my guitar [...] E E7 actually I guess you'd call it a tavern cigarette smoke to the ceiling A7 D D7 G sawdust on the floor friendly shadows [...] G G7 C if you waste your time a-talking to the people who don't listen G Em A7 D7 to the things that you are saying who do you think's going to hear G G7 C and if you should die explaining how the things that they complain about G Em D7 G ... G7 are things they could be changing who do you think's goin' to care D D7 C G there were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind C G A7 ... D7 who were crucified for what they tried to show G G7 C G and their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time D7 G 'cause the truth remains that no one wants to know
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G7
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