Chords for Benjamin Tod | "Ballad of Spider John" | Western AF

Well, I can tell you I've been I've been performing this song since I was around 18 or 19 _ years old
It certainly has impacted and influenced a lot of my writing
_ Over the years and I would say it's probably one of the greatest _ _ _ _ _
sort of
representations of the American tramp
Like like like a romance kind of narrative
That I've ever heard I would say it is the ultimate _ _ _
American tramp
Narrative in songwriting.
I'd say it is the best that's ever been done
_ [Am] _ _
[C] _ _ _ [G] _ _ [D] _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _
_ [C] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [A] _ Spidey Johnny's my [C] name [G] friends
_ [D] Between freights.
[G] I sure would be obliged
[Am] _ [D] If I could [C] share your [G] company _ _ _ _ _ _
[A] All my [C] way to nowhere.
[G] I've been [D] running [G] from my past
running [Am]
from
[C] Other things I [G] used to be
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ And [A] I know my words [C] sound strange to [G] you
But if you [A] wait until my [G] song is sung and my story [Am] told
You might [C] come to [G] understand
_ _ _ Oh, I [Am] am old and [C] bent and devil-spent and I'm [A] running [G] out of time
Not a [Am] long ago boys, I [C] held a roll [G] flush in my [D]
hands.
_ _ _ [Em] I was a _
Supermarket fool I [A] was the rule the bank stool hitchin
[Em] _ _
Herb up in my hometown. _ _ _
_ I [Em] thought I'd paid my dues
Lord, I [A] thought I'd lost my blues.
[G]
I
[F] Found [C] a life to suit my [Am] style
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _
Spidey [F] John the robber [C] man
_ [G] long [Am] tall and handsome
_ _ _ _ [G] _
Spidey John [F] with the Lord [C] at hand
Take and [Am] ransom and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
then one [A] day I met [C] diamond Lil [G]
and she was the prettiest thing
I declare [Am] that the summer winds
[C] Had ever blown [G] my way _
_ _ _ _ [A] But [A] Lily had no idea of my illustrious
[G] _
Occupation [Am] she thought I was a saint not [C] a sinner [G] gone astray _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[A] Spotty
Loves [C] Lily so much.
[A] It could not [G] confess his sin for he knew if [Am] he did
[D] She'd surely [G] take a leave _ _
_ But you [A] know where [Am] it got [C] around and Lily left town [A] and he never [G] saw her again
_ [A] Tossing and turning [C] causing his heart to [D] grieve
_ _ _ And [Em] I was a
_ Supermarket fool I [A] was a roll the bank stew hitchin
[Em] _
_ _ Robbing my hometown
[A] _
I _ _ [Em] thought [Em] I'd paid my dues
Oh, I [A] thought I'd lost my blues.
_ [F] I
Thought I'd found [C] a life [A] to suit my [Am] style
_ _ _ [G] _ _
Spidey [F] John the robber [G] man _
long [Am] tall and handsome
_ _ _ [E] _
And Spidey John with the [C] Lord at hand
_ Taking [Am] ransom _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[A] That [D] is all my [C] story
_ [G]
Been at least a 30 years since I took to [Am] the road
[D] Find my precious [G] Julie one. _
_ _ _ _ [A] Oh
And if you see [C] my Lily, [A] won't you give her [G] my regards?
Tell her all [A] Spidey got tangled in the [C] black web that he spawned
_ _ Just tell her all [Am] Spidey got tangled in the black web that he [G]
spawned _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _