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American Tab

by Highwaymen


key: 
capo 1 
 
                                         
I am a shotgun rider for the San Jacinto line 
                                                 
The desert is my brother, my skin is cracked and dry 
                                                
I was riding on a folk coach and everything was fine 
                                         
'Til we took a shorter road to save some time 
                                  
The bandits only fired once, they shot me in the chest 
                                                    
They may have wounded me but they'll never get the best 
                             
Of better men cause I'll ride again 
 
 
I am a river gambler, I make a livin' dealin' cards 
My clothes are smooth and honest, my heart is cold and hard 
I was shufflin' for some delta boys on a boat for New Orleans 
I was the greatest shark they'd ever seen 
But the Captain bumped a sandbar, and an ace fell from my sleeve 
They threw me overboard as I swore I didn't cheat 
But I could swim and I'll ride again. 


CHORUS -----------------------------------------
                                          
We are heroes of the homeland, American remains 
                          
We live in many faces and answer many names 
                                              
We will not be forgotten, we won't be left behind 
                                
Our memories live on in mortal minds 
                          
And poets pens we'll ride again
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I am a mid-west farmer, I make a livin' off the land 
I ride a John Deere tractor, I'm a liberated man 
But the rain it hasn't fallen, since the middle of July 
And if it don't come soon my crops will die 
The bank man says he likes me, but there's nothin' he can do 
He tells me that he's comin' but the clouds are comin' too 
He ain't my friend and I'll ride again 
 
 
I am an American Indian, my tribe is Cherokee 
My forefathers loved this land they left it here for me 
But the white man came with boats and trains and dirty factories 
And poisoned my existence with his deeds 
Nature is our mother, we are sucklings at her breast 
And he who trys to beat her down will lose her to the rest 
They'll never win I'll ride again 
 
Chorus