Born to Be a Cowboy Chords by Michael Martin Murphey

[Em] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ [Cm] _ [C] _ _ The painted walls of Pallidoo, _ how my [F] heart can see them yet,
_ As a boy of [C] eighteen summers, _ [G] long [D] before I [G] knew regret.
[D] _ _ [G] _
_ There [C] I rode the bold unwitting, _ _ [F] and my loop was keen and true,
_ And even in [C] the dead [F] of winter, [C] _ [G] skies were [C] always blue.
_ _ _ _ _ In the heat of summer Brandon, _ [E] _ [F]
we'd get an early start, _
We'd jingle in [C] the horses, _ [D] and we'd saddle _ [G] in the dark. _ _ _
_ Then [C] we'd ride out _ [Em] [C] on the morning, _ _ [F] without a spoken _ word.
The ring of spur [C] and the fall [Cm] of hoof, [G] was all that could [F#] be [C] heard.
_ _ _ [Dm] And [C] it's [F] been saddle [G] horse and catch twine, [F] _
that has been [C] my life.
_ [F] Some say it's been [C] my downfall, [Dm] that the world has passed [G] me by, _ _ _
_ _ [C] [F] But the life I've [G] lived I freely chose, [F] I'm at it yet [C]
tonight.
_ [F] I was born to be [C] a cowboy, _ [G] and I will be till [C] I die.
_ _ _ _ _ [Em] _ [F] _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [G#] _ _
_ First [C#] laid eyes on Darcy Taylor, _ [F#] at the Cowboys Christmas _ ball,
The daughter [C#] of a preacher, _ [D#] and the fairest _ [G#] of them all.
[D#] _ _ [G#] _ _ I [C#] knew I could never have her, _ [F#] but I loved her just the same.
And I still get [C#] that old [F#] time feeling, [C#] _
[G#] when I hear [C#] her name. _ _
And it's [F#] been saddle [G#] horse and catch twine, [F#] _ that has been [C#] my life.
_ _ [F#] Some say it's been [C#] my downfall, [D#m] that the world has passed [G#] me by,
_ _ _ _ [C#] But [F#] the life I've [G#] lived I freely chose, [F#]
I'm at it yet [C#] tonight.
_ [F#] I was born to be [C#] a cowboy, _ [G#] and I will be till [C#] I die. _ _ _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Photographs and trophy buckles, _ _ [G] _ things you hold with pride.
When eyes grow dim, [D] don't mean as much [E] as what you've [A] got inside.
[E] _ _ [A] _ _ _ [D] But I've got lots of memories, _ [G] to me worth more than _ gold.
And I can say [D] I'm ready, [G] Lord, [D] when it comes [A] my time [D] to go.
And _
_ [Em] [D] it's [G] been saddle [A] horse and catch twine, [G] _ that has been [D] my life.
_ [G] Some say it's been [D] my downfall, [Em] that the world has passed [A] me by.
_ _ _ _ _ [D] [G] But the life I've [A] lived I freely [G] chose, I'm at it yet [D] tonight.
[G] I was born to be [D] a cowboy, _ [A] and I will be till [D] I die. _ _
_ [Em] [D] I [G] was born to be [D] a cowboy, _ [Em] and I [F#m] will be [G] _
[A] till [D] I die. _ _
[A] _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _