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The Ballad Of Spider John

Willis Alan Ramsey

Text File

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE--------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the#
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research.#
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

@SONG: "The Ballad of Spider John"
@CHORDS: Michael D. Montgomery (Bonzjivar@aol.com)
Willis Allen Ramsey ("Willis Allen Ramsey")

Intro:  Am (pull off index finger)
Am                       C
Spider John is my name friend
D                                                                  Am
I'm in between freights and sure would be obliged
                 C                          G
If  I could share your company
Am                       C
I'm on my way to nowhere
           D                        G
Been runnin' from my past
Am                     C                     G
runnin' from the things I use to be-eeee
        Am                                       C
now I know my words sound strange to you
                D                                                            Am
But if you wait till my song is sung and the story's told
                  C                    G
You might come to understand

               Am                     C                      D                  G
How I'm old and bent and Devil sent, and runnin' out of time
                 Am                    C                           D
When not long ago I held a Royal Flush in my hand

Chorus:
                       Em                   Em7
     Oh, I was a Supermarket fool
                 A7                                      Em      Em7       A7
     I was a motor bank stool-pidgeon,  robbin' my hometown
         Em                    Em7           A7
     I thought I lost my blues, yes I thought I paid my dues
               F                            C        G         Em
     And I thought I'd found a life to suit my style
                    G                   F
      And old Spider John, robber man
     C                     Am
      long, tall, and handsome
                    G                           F                   C             Am
      Yes, old Spider John with a loaded hand,  takin' ransom
                               C
Then one day I met Diamond Lil
       D
and she was the sweetest thing, I declare
              Am                       C                     G
That the summer wind had ever blown my way
       Am                 C                   D                  G
But Lil she had no idea, of my illustrious occupation
       Am                                     C                   G
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner, gone astray-ay
Am                         C                   D
Spider he loved his lady so much, he would not confess his sins
                          Am              C                               G
For I knew if I did the lady would surely take her leave
                                   Am                            C
But you know that the word got around and Lilly left town
             D                     G
And he never saw her again
Am                          C                           D
Tossin' and turnin', 'causin' his heart to grieve

(repeat chorus)
Am                  C
That is all my story
      D                                 	           Am
It's been these thirty years since I took the road
	     C		G
To find my precious jewel one
Am	        C		      D	               G
If you see my Lilly, won't you give her my regards?
	     Am			   C		    G
Tell her old Spider got tangled in the black web that he spun
		     Am    		   C		    G
You can tell her that Spider got tangled in the black web that he spun


Additions/corrections are welcome