The Idiot Chords by Stan Rogers

[N] _ [Bb] _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[Bb] I often [A] take these night shift walks when [G] the foreman's knocked _ [Bm] around. _
Turn my back on the [G] cooling stacks [D] and make for [A] open ground.
[B]
Far out [G] beyond the [A] tank arm [D] fence where the gas flare [G] makes no [B] sound.
I [G] forget the stink and I always think back to that [D] eastern town. _ _
_ _ I remember [Bm] back six years ago [G] this western life [B] I chose.
And [G] every day [D] the news [G] would say some factory's [A] going to close.
Well [Bm] I could have [G] stayed to [D]
take the dole [G] but I'm not one [B] of those.
[G] I take nothing free [D] and that [G] makes me [D] an [A] idiot I [D] suppose.
_ [G] So I bid farewell [D] to the eastern town [Bm] I never [D] more will see.
[G] But work [A] I must [D] so I eat this dust [Bm] and breathe [Em] _ [A] refinery. _
_ [B] Oh I miss [G] the green [A] and the woods [D] and streams [G] and I don't like cowboy [Bm] _
clothes.
[G] But I like being free [D] and that [G] makes me an [D] idiot I _ suppose.
_ _ _ [A] _ _ [Em] _ _
[D] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [B] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
[G] _ _ _ _ [Em] _ _ [A] _
So come [Bm] _ _ [G] _ _ [A] _ _
[D] _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [B] _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
[G] _ _ [D] _ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ all you fine [B] young fellers who've [G] been beaten to the [Bm] ground.
_ [G] This western life's no paradise but it's better than lying [A] down.
_ Oh the [G] streets aren't clean [A] and there's nothing [D] green [G] and the hills are dirty [B] brown.
But [G] the government dole will rot your soul [D] back there [A] in your [D] hometown.
_ _ [G] So I bid farewell [D] to the eastern town you never more will see.
[G] There's self [D] respect and a steady check in [Em] this _ [A] refinery.
_ _ You will [G] miss the green and the [D] woods and streams [G] and the dust will fill your [Bm] nose.
[G] But you'll be free [D] and just [G] like [D] me an [A] idiot [D] I suppose.
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ _ [B] _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ [G] _ _ _
[D] _ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ _ _
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_ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ [D] _ _
[Bb] _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Dm] _ _ _ _ _ _