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The Man From God Knows Where Tab

by Tom Russell Band


"The Man From God Knows Where" 
By: Tom Russell  

Capo 3rd fret. 

 Intro: (Am) - (G) - (Am) x 2 
 
(Am)Come gather round me children, a (G) story I will (Am) tell 
(Am)I've been around since Jesus met the (G) woman at the (Am) well 
(C)I've walked these roads ten (Am) thousand years,(C) I'm a ragtime (Am) millionaire 
(Am)I'm the rake and the ramblin saint. I am(G) the man from God knows (Am) where 
 
(Am)Oh, they hung me in Downpatrick, up (G) near St.Patrick's (Am) tomb 
(Am)But my ghost rose up in the peat fire smoke (G) toward the rising of the (Am) moon 
(C)Now as I drift through your (Am) villages, all the (C) maidens stop and (Am) stare 
(Am)"There goes old Tom, the vagabond, he's the (G) man from God knows (Am) where" 
 
(C)So it's rise up all you (Am) ancestors, (C) and dance upon your (G) graves 
(C)I've come to hear your (Am) voices, now, (C) so maybe I'll be (Am) saved 
(Am)Cursed are we who forget the past, but (G) pray and don't (Am) despair 
(Am)My song might haunt your dreams tonight, I'm the (G) man from God knows (Am) where 
 
(Am)I've slept beneath your bridges, near your (G) oil (Am) refineries 
(Am)I've gambled on your river boats,(G) Shenandoah; (Am) Kanakee 
(C)I'm the homeless lad, I'm an (Am) orphan child, (C) leaves of grass sewn through my (Am) hair 
(Am)Yeah, me and old Walt Whitman, we're the (G) men from God knows (Am) where 
 
(Am)I've rode the rods on steam trains with a (G) banjo on my (Am) knee 
(Am)While the voice of Stephen Foster, (G) whisperd songs to (Am) me 
(C)Of the storefront church and the (Am) chain gang choir; (C) Black sorrow filled the (Am) air 
(Am)Then Stephen died on a doss house floor, like a (G) man from God knows (Am) where 
 
(Am)I've heard the sound of Indian drums I've (G) heard the bugles (Am) blow 
(Am)Before they re'wrote history, (G) into a Wild West (Am) Show 
(C)My kin sailed toward (Am) America, (C) to steal their Indian (Am) ground 
(Am)They passed Bill Cody's (G) circus ships, European (Am) bound 

(Am)So lock up all your daughters, your (G) whiskey and your (Am) gold 
(Am)I have come to claim my bounty, for (G) the lies that I've been (Am) told 
And (C) as I look out on this (Am) crowd tonight, I (C) see most of you don't (Am) care 
(Am)Come lift your glass, reveal your past, to the (G) man from God knows(Am) where 

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