Author: Jim

Dear Abby

Jim,

—John Prine

Dear Abby, dear Abby
My feet are too long
My hair's falling out and my rights are all wrong
My friends they all tell me that I've no friends at all
Won't you write me a letter, won't you give me a call
Signed bewildered

Bewildered, bewildered
You have no complaint
You are what your are and you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster, and listen up good
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood

Dear Abby, dear Abby
My fountain pen leaks
My wife hollers at me and my kids are all freaks
Every side I get up on is the wrong side of bed
If it weren't so expensive I'd wish I were dead
Signed unhappy

Unhappy, unhappy
You have no complaint
You are what your are and you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster, and listen up good
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood

Dear Abby, dear Abby
Dear Abby, dear Abby
Dear Abby, dear Abby
You won't believe this
But my stomach makes noises whenever I kiss
My girlfriend tells me it's all in my head
But my stomach tells me to write you instead
Signed noise-maker

Noise-maker, noise-maker
You have no complaint
You are what your are and you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster, and listen up good
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood

Dear Abby, dear Abby
Well I never thought
That me and my girlfriend would ever get caught
We were sitting in the back seat just shooting the breeze
With her hair up in curlers and her pants to her knees
Signed just married

Just married just married
You have no complaint
You are what your are and you ain't what you ain't
So listen up buster, and listen up good
Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood
Signed dear Abby

6/8

Verse:

I IV – I I II – V
I IV – I I V-I
IV – V I

I Always Get Lucky With You

Jim,

—Freddie Powers, recorded by Merle Haggard & George Jones

I've had good luck, and bad luck
And no luck, it's true,
But I always get lucky with you.

I've been turned on, and turned down
When the bars close at two,
But I always get lucky with you.

Bridge:
I keep two strikes against me most all of the time
And when it's down to a phone call, I'm minus a dime.

There's been good days, and bad days,
But when the day is through
I always get lucky with you

Oh, I always get lucky with you.

¾

Verse:

I I+5 IV IV#º
I V I V

Bridge:

IV IV#º I – V7 I
II7 II7 IIm7 V7

 

Where Will This End

Jim,

—Buzz Busby

My love it died and I'm all alone
I'm lost, I'm lost in sin
The jug of wine it goes fast (past?) like mine
Oh where, oh where will this end

Chorus:
Where will this end, I ask my friend
What is my destiny
My broken heart, it just won't mend
Oh where, oh where will this end

What will I do, where will I go
Will I ever love again
Oh heaven I pray, show me the way
Oh where, oh where will this end

Chorus

¾

Verse:

I IV – I I V
I IV – I I – V I

Chorus:

IV I I V
I IV – I I – V I

 

You Can't Ride My Mule

Jim,

—Lee Brothers Trio 1930

I've been to both sides of this old world,
Many's the sights I've seen,
I've been some places with a king,
And everywhere with a queen.

But you can't ride my mule,
No sir you can't ride my mule,
You can't ride my mule,
And treat me this old way.

I picked you up and you threw me down,
What makes you do me like this,
If you don't stop your rowdy ways,
Your greasy hair got twist.

Now, you can't ride my mule,
This mule won't ride today,
You can't ride my mule,
Till you do as I say.

You thought it smart to throw me down,
But I'll get even with you,
I'm going places and doing things,
I couldn't do with you.

You can't ride my mule,
This mule simply won't be rid,
You can't ride my mule,
Since you done the things you did.

You can't ride my mule,
I'm telling this to you
For this here mule will up and throw you down,
Your chum will be black and blue

Verse & Chorus:

VI II V I
VI II V I

 

You're Gonna Change Or I'm-a-Gonna Leave

Jim,

—Hank Williams
You wore out a brand new trunk
Packin' an' unpackin' your junk
Your daddy's mad, he's done got peeved
You're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

You're gonna change your way of livin'
Change the things you do
Stop doin' all the things that you oughtn't to
Your daddy's mad, he's done got peeved
You're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

This ain't right and that is wrong
You just keep naggin' all the day long
It's gotta stop, I don't mean please
Now, you're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

The way to keep a woman happy
And make her do what's right
Is love her every mornin', bawl her out at night
Your daddy's mad, he's done got peeved
Now you're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

Every time you get mad
You pack your rags and go back to dad
You tell him lies he don't believe
Now, you're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

You're gonna change your way of livin'
Change the things you do
Stop doin' all the things that you're oughtn't to
Your daddy's mad, he's done got peeved
You're gonna change or I'm a-gonna leave

Verse:

I I I I
I I I* I V – I
IV IV I I
I I I* I V – I

*only 6 beats; others=8.
 

Death's Other Side

Jim,

—Buzz Busby

A:
Death is a gateway
We all must pass through
To reach that fair city
Where the soul's born anew
Where man's born to die
And his sojourn on earth
Is a short span of years
Beginning with birth.

B:
And like pilgrims we wander
Until death takes our hand
And we start on our journey
To God's promised land
A place where we'll find
No sorrow nor tears
Where time is not counted
By days, months or years

B:
And in this fair city
Where God has prepared
Our unending joy
To be happily shared
With all of our loved ones
Who patiently wait
On death's other side
To open the gate.

A:

I IV V I
I IV V V – I

B:

V I II V
I IV V V – I

 

Head Over Heels

Jim,

I think I'll go across the ocean
If I don't change my notion
I've just got to forget you if I can

Chorus:
I'm feeling so blue
I don't know what to do
Because I'm
head over heels in love with you

Every day is sad and lonely
For I'm thinking of you only
I just can't sleep when I lay down

Oh I'd like to be forgiven
But this life ain't worth living
If have to sit and worry over you

Oh the nights are long and dreary
All I do is sit and worry
I just can't bear the thought of losing you

Verse:

I I I I

Chorus:

IV I I – V I

Tater Blossom

Jim,




https://www.oldtownschool.org/fiddle/fun/taterblossom6461.mp3
https://www.oldtownschool.org/fiddle/fun/taterblossom5934.mp3

Bach Pieces

Jim,


Nashville Skyline Rag

Jim,



 

 

 

I – IV I – IV I – IV V – I
I – IV I – IV I – IV V – I
II V III VI
I – IV I – IV I – IV V – I