Author: Jim

Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out

Jim,

—Jimmy Cox, 1923

Once I lived the life of a millionaire.
Spending my money; I didn't care.
I took all my friends out for a good time,
Buyin' high price liquor, champagne and wine.

When I began to fall so low,
I didn't have a friend, and no place to go.
If I ever get hold of a dollar again,
Gonna hang on to it till that eagle grins.

Chorus:
Nobody knows you,
When you're down and out.
In you pocket, not one penny.
And your friends, you don't have any.

But if you ever get on your feet again,
Then you'll find your long lost friends.
It's mighty strange, without a doubt.
Nobody knows you when your down and out,
I mean when you're down and out.

Verse & Chorus:

I III7 VIm VIm
VI7 VI7 IIm IIm
IV IV#º I VI7
II7 II7 V7 V7 *

*final time ends on I

Eric Clapton's version:

Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spent all my money, didn't have any care
Took all my friends out for mighty good time
We bought bootleg liquor, champagne and wine

Then I began to fall so low
Lost all my good friends, had nowhere to go
I get my hands on a dollar again
I'll hang on to it 'til that eagle grins

Because nobody knows you
When you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don't have any

When you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
I said it's mighty strange, without any doubt
Nobody knows you when you're down and out

Oh, nobody knows you
When you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don't have any

When you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
I said it's strange, without any doubt
Nobody knows you (nobody knows you)

Nobody knows you (nobody knows you)
Nobody knows you when you're down and out



Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out

Jim,

—Jimmie Cox, 1923 (Eric Clapton's version)

Once I lived the life of a millionaire
Spent all my money, didn't have any care
Took all my friends out for mighty good time
We bought bootleg liquor, champagne and wine

Then I began to fall so low
Lost all my good friends, had nowhere to go
I get my hands on a dollar again
I'll hang on to it 'til that eagle grins

Because nobody knows you
When you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don't have any

When you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
I said it's mighty strange, without any doubt
Nobody knows you when you're down and out

Oh, nobody knows you
When you're down and out
In your pocket, not one penny
And as for friends, you don't have any

When you get back on your feet again
Everybody wants to be your long-lost friend
I said it's strange, without any doubt
Nobody knows you (nobody knows you)
Nobody knows you (nobody knows you)
Nobody knows you when you're down and out

Verse and Chorus:

I III VI VI7
IIm VI7 IIm IIm
IV IV#º I VI7
II7 II7 V7 V7
Original 1923 Jimmie Cox lyrics, as sung by Bessie Smith

Once I lived a life of a millionaire
Spendin' my money, I didn't care
I carried my friends out for a good time
Buy bootleg liquor, champagne and wine

When I begin to fall so low
I didn't have a friend and no place to go
But if I ever get my hands on a dollar again
I'm gonna hold on to it 'til them eagles grin

Nobody knows you
When you down and out
In my pocket not one penny
And my friends, I haven't any

But if I ever get on my feet again
And I'll meet my long-lost friend
It's mighty strange without a doubt
Nobody knows you when you down and out
I mean, when you down and out

Mm
When you down and out
Mm
Not one penny
And my friends, I haven't any

Mm, and I felt so low
Nobody wants me 'round their door
Mm, without a doubt
No man can use you when you down and out
I mean when you down and out


You Don't Miss Your Water

Jim,

—William Bell

In the beginning you really loved me
But I was blind and I could not see
But when you left me oh how I cried
You don't miss your water 'til your well runs dry.

I was a playboy I could not be true
I could not believe I really loved you
But when you left me oh how I cried
You don't miss your water 'til your well runs dry.

In the beginning you really loved me
But I was blind and I could not see
But when you left me oh how I cried
You don't miss your water 'til your well runs dry.

I was a playboy I could not be true
I could not believe I really loved you
But when you left me oh how I cried
You don't miss your water 'til your well runs dry.

3/4

Verse:

VIm I IV I
VIm IV-III  IV I – IV I



Ode to Joy

Jim,


Dear Old Dixie

Jim,



Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown

Jim,

—Eliza E. Hewitt, 1897

I am thinking today of that beautiful land
I shall reach when the sun goeth down;
When through wonderful grace by my Savior I stand,
Will there be any stars in my crown?

Chorus:
Will there be any stars, any stars in my crown,
When at evening the sun goeth down?
When I wake with the blest in the mansions of rest,
Will there be any stars in my crown?

In the strength of the Lord let me labor and pray,
Let me watch as a winner of souls;
That bright stars may be mine in the glorious day,
When His praise like the sea-billow rolls.

Oh, what joy it will be when His face I behold,
Living gems at His feet to lay down;
It would sweeten my bliss in the city of gold,
Should there be any stars in my crown.

Verse:

I IV – IIm V I
I IV – IIm V I

Chorus:

I I I – II V
I IV… I – V I



Seldom Scene's Chords:

Verse:

I IV – IIm V I
I I – IV IV V

Chorus:

I I I V
I IV… I – V I

Plastic Jesus

Jim,

—Ed Rush and George Cromarty

I don't care if it rains or freezes
Long as I got my plastic Jesus
Sitting on the dashboard of my car.
Going ninety and it ain't scary
Cause I've got the Virgin Mary
Sitting on the dashboard of my car.

When I'm in the back seat singin'
Jesus is up there grinning
Sitting on the dashboard of my car.
Red or white or black or yeller
I don't care cause he's my feller
Sitting on the dashboard of my car.

When I'm in a traffic jam
he don't care if I say damn
I can let all kinds of curses roll
Cause plastic Jesus he can't hear
Because he's got a plastic ear
The man who invented plastic saved my soul.

Now get yourself a sweet madonna
Dressed in rhinestones sittin on a
Pedestal of abalone shell
I'm going ninety and it ain't scary
Cause I've got the Virgin Mary
Tellin me that I can't go to hell.

Plas-tic Je-sus …
Plas-tic Je-sus…
Sitting on the dashboard of my car.
Through my trials and tribulations
And my travels across the nation
As long as I got my Jesus I'll go far.

Verse:

I I IV IV
I I V V   :|
Verses from Cool Hand Luke

I don't care if it rains or freezes,
As long as I got my plastic Jesus
Sittin' on the dashboard of my car.

Comes in colors pink and pleasant,
Glows in the dark cause he's iridescent
Take him with you when you travel far.

Get yourself a sweet Madonna
Dressed in rhinestones sittin' on a
Pedestal of abalone shell.

Going ninety I ain't scary
Cause I got the Virgin Mary
Assurin' me that I won't go to Hell.

Extra Verses:

Plastic Jesus plastic Jesus,
Riding on the dashboard of my car
I'm afraid He'll have to go.
His magnets ruin my radio
And if I have a wreck He'll leave a scar.

Riding down a thoroughfare
With His nose up in the air,
A wreck may be ahead, but He don't mind.
Trouble coming He don't see,
He just keeps His eye on me
And any other thing that lies behind.

Plastic Jesus plastic Jesus,
Riding on the dashboard of my car …

Though the sunshine on His back
Makes Him peel, chip and crack,
A little patching keeps Him up to par.
When I'm in a traffic jam
He don't care if I say "damn"
I can let all my curses roll

Plastic Jesus doesn't hear
'Cause he has a plastic ear
The man who invented plastic saved my soul.
Plastic Jesus plastic Jesus,
Riding on the dashboard of my car …

Once His robe was snowy white,
Now it isn't quite so bright,
Stained by the smoke of my cigar.
If I weave around at night,
And policemen think I'm tight,
They never find my bottle – though they ask.

Plastic Jesus shelters me,
For His head comes off, you see
He's hollow, and I use Him for a flask.
Plastic Jesus plastic Jesus,

Riding on the dashboard of my car …
Ride with me and have a dram
Of the blood of the Lamb –
Plastic Jesus is a holy bar.

Orange in Bloom

Jim,


Bury the Bottle With Me

Jim,

—Dick Curless

There's a stone in yonder graveyard
With my name carved in it deep
It don't tell my life story
These things, it can't repeat

I never had a family
I never took a wife
All I had was a bottle
And I drank away my life

Chorus:
So bury the bottle with me
For it's what tore me down
So I won't be alone tonight
When they put me in the ground
When they lower my body down

A drunkard is a sinner
On this, I place no doubt
Oh, the Lord won't share His palace
With the things He lives without

For the bottle is the Devil
And drinking is his name
Now the bottle is what took my soul
And petrified my brain

Chorus
 

Verse:

I VIm I VIm
IV I IV I   :|

Chorus:

VIm I VIm I
IV I IV I  :|


Dig A Little Deeper In The Well

Jim,

—R. Bowling & Martha Jo Emerson

Chorus:
Dig a little deeper in the well boys
Dig a little deeper in the well
If you want a good'n cool drink of water
You gotta dig a little deeper in the well (X2)

My daddy used to tell me, don't be fooled by what you see
If you want to get to the heart of things, you gotta look way down deep
Second place don't get it son, the winner's gotta come in first
There's nothing worse than to take a drink that leaves you with a thirst

Chorus

A good man needs a good woman, she's the rock that'll make him strong
She'll be there to lean on when the whole world's going wrong
There ain't nothing like good loving, that's how it's meant to be
So find yourself a good woman son like your mama's been to me

Chorus

There's a mighty river flowing, where the water's cool and sweet
Don't be fooled by a muddy stream, be careful where you drink
Life is what you make it, sometimes it's a living hell
If you want to find that promised land, dig a little deeper in the well

Chorus

Chorus:

I I I IV I
I I II V V
I I I IV I
I I V I I

Verse:

I I IV I
I I II V
I I IV I
I I V I