Author: Jim

Sin City

Jim,

—Gram Parsons & Chris Hillman

This old town is filled with sin,
It will swallow you in
If you've got some money to burn.
Take it home right away,
You've got three years to pay
But Satan is waiting his turn

Chorus:
This old earthquake's gonna leave me in the poor house.
It seems like this whole town's insane
On the thirty-first floor your gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain

The scientists say
It will all wash away
But we don't believe any more
Cause we've got our recruits
And our green mohair suits
So please show your ID At the door.

A friend came around.
Tried to clean up this town,
His ideas made some people mad.
But he trusted his crowd,
So he spoke right out loud
And they lost the best friend they had

Tag:
On the thirty—first floor your gold plated door
Won't keep out the Lord's burning rain

¾

Verse:

I V I IV
I I V V
I V I IV
I V I I

Chorus:

IV V I I
IV I V V
IV V I IV
I V I I

Shortnin' Bread

Jim,

Put on the skillet slip on the lid
Mama's gonna make a little shortnin' bread
That ain't all she's gonna do
Mama's gonna make a little coffee, too

Chorus:
Mama's little baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's little baby loves short'nin' bread
(Repeat)

Three little children lyin' in bed
Two were sick and the other 'most dead
Sent for the doctor and the doctor said
Give those children some shortnin' bread.

When those children sick in bed
Heard that talk about shortnin' bread
Popped up well to dance and sing
Skipped around and cut the pigeon wing

Slip to the kitchen slip off the lid
Filled my pockets full of shortnin' bread;
Stole the skillet stole the lid
Stole the gal makin' shortnin' bread

Caught me with the skillet caught me with the lid
Caught me with the gal makin' shortnin' bread;
Paid six dollars for the skillet six dollars for the lid
Spent six months in jail eatin' shortnin' bread

Verse and Chorus:

I I I V-I
I I I V-I



She Caught The Katy

Jim,

—Taj Mahal version

She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
My baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine

Man my baby's long, great god she's mighty, she's tall
You know my baby's long, great god she's mighty, my baby she's tall
Well my baby she's long, my baby she's tall
She sleeps with her head in the kitchen and her big feet out in the hall
And I'm still crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman of mine

Bridge:
Well I love my baby, she's so fine
I wish she'd come and see me some time
If you don't believe I love her, look what a hole I'm in
If you don't believe I'm sinking, look what a shape I'm in

She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride
Well my baby caught the Katy, left me a mule to ride
The train pulled out, and I swung on behind
I'm crazy 'bout her, that hardheaded woman,
hardheaded woman of mine

Verse:

I V I I
I V I I
I I IV IV#dim
I V I I

Bridge:

IV IV I I
II II V V7

 

She's No Angel

Jim,

—Wanda Ballman and J.W. Arnold

You see her there at the bar cross the room
She looks like an angel with her paint and perfume
You'd like to meet her your conscience says no
Obey your conscience turn around and go

Chorus:
She's no angel, no angel, her wings are not real
She'll ruin your life if your heart she can steal
She'll tell you tales to bring tears to your eyes
But don't you believe them for they're only lies

You think if only she could be your own
You'd be more contented than a king on his throne
You'd better not trust her it's wrong if you do
She's broken many hearts and she'll break yours too

Verse:

I I I V
V V V I
I I I IV
V V V I

Chorus:

IV IV IV I
V V V I
IV IV IV I
V V V I

 


She's More to Be Pitied

Jim,

—Carter Stanley

She's there at the bar every evening
Face powdered and cheeks painted red
Her beauty has faded too early
Brought on by the fast life she led

She's more to be pitied than scolded
She needs to be loved, not despised
Too much beer and wine, too many good times
The lure of the honky tonk wrecked her young life

She once was the belle of the ballroom
She'd made some man a sweet wife
But too many parties, the wrong kind of pals
Ruined her happy young life

Done

¾

Verse:

I I I V
I I I-V I

Chorus:

IV I I V
I I V-I I
I V – I I

 

She Ain't No Good

Jim,

—Mississippi Sheiks early 1930's

I had a girl, she was just that kind
I thought I would make her mine
But when I looked the matter through,
she was the worst of kind.

Chorus:
She ain't no good, Oh, she ain't no good
When I come to find her out,
I found she was no good.

Some men like the country girl,
Mine's girl lives in town
A towns girl will be lovin' you,
When the country girl messes around.

Chorus:
She ain't no good, Oh, she ain't no good
When you see 'em brother, lives in the woods,
You know she ain't no good.

A town girl gets one man,
And always treat him well
But a country girl will get her ten men,
And give them all hell.

Chorus:
She ain't no good, Oh she ain't no good
She once left a man in the neighborhood,
you know she ain't no good.

A yeller cow drinks the corn whiskey,
Browns can't do the same
The country girl get her two'a brown meal,
But she's getting drunk just the same.

Chorus:
She ain't no good, Oh, she ain't no good
She left a man in the neighborhood,
You know she ain't no good.

I went to the country girl's house,
And only one night I spent
I got up the next morning, and come back home,
Been runnin' ever since.

Chorus:
Oh, she ain't no good, Oh, she ain't no good
Deliver me, from a country girl,
because she ain't no good.

Verse:

I I I V
I I V I

Chorus:

IV IV I I
V V V I

 

Shady Grove

Jim,

—Traditional

Garcia/Grisman Version

Peaches in the summer time, Apples in the fall
If I can't have the girl I love, I don't want none at all

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little love, Shady Grove, I know
Shady Grove, my little love, I'm bound for Shady Grove

I wish I had a banjo string, Made of golden twine
Every tune I'd play on it, I wish that girl were mine

I wish I had a needle and thread, As fine as I could sew
I'd sew that pretty gal to my side, And down the road I'd go

Some come here to fiddle and dance, Some come here to tarry
Some come here to fiddle and dance, I come here to marry

Every night when I go home, My wife, I try to please her
The more I try, the worse she gets, Damned if I don't leave her

Chorus and Verse (minor):

Im VII Im Im
III VII Im – VII Im
More lyrics:

Doc Watson Version

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little love, Shady Grove I say
Shady Grove, my little love, I'm a bound to go away

Cheeks as red a a blooming rose, And eyes are the prettiest brown
She's the darling of my heart, Sweetest little girl in town

I wish I had a big fine horse, And corn to feed him on
And Shady Grove to stay at home, And feed him while I'm gone

Went to see my Shady Grove, She was standing in the door
Her shoes and stockins in her hand, And her little bare feet on the floor

When I was a little boy, I wanted a Barlow knife
And now I want little Shady Grove, To say she'll be my wife

A kiss from pretty little Shady Grove, Is sweet as brandy wine,
And there ain't no girl in this whole world, That's prettier than mine

Bill Monroe Version

Coffee grows on white oak trees, The river flows with brandy
The rocks on the hill all go where they go, And the girls love 'lasses candy

Chorus:
Shady Grove, my little miss, Shady Grove my darlin'
Shady Grove, my little miss, I'm goin' back to Harlan

Oh I guess you think my pretty little miss, I can't live without you
I'll let you know before I go, If I hear a little about you.

Every time I go that road, It's always dark and cloudy
Every time I see that girl, I always tell her howdy

Chorus and Verse (Major):

I I I I
I I V I

 


Shackles and Chains

Jim,

—Jimmie Davis

Chorus:
And at night through the bars I will gaze at the stars
And dream of your kisses in vain
A piece of stone I will use for my pillow
While I'm sleeping in shackles and chains

On a long lonesome journey I'm going
Oh darling please don't you cry
In these shackles and chains they will take me
To a prison to stay 'til I die

Put your arms through the bars once my darling
Let me kiss those sweet lips I love best
For in heartache you're my consolation
In sorrow my haven of rest

Chorus and Verse:

|: I I IV IV
V V I I :|

 

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean

Jim,

Well there's one kind-a favor I'll ask of you ( x3 )
You can see that my grave is kept clean

And there's two white horses following me ( x3 )
Waiting on my burying ground

Did you ever hear that coughin' sound ( x3 )
Means another poor boy is underground

Did you ever hear them church bells tone ( x3 )
Means another poor boy is dead and gone

And my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold ( x3 )
Now I believe what the bible told

There's just one last favor I'll ask of you ( x3 )
See that my grave is kept clean

Verse, roughly:

I V I I
I I (V) (V)
I I (IV) (IV)
I V I I

 




Salty Dog

Jim,

Standing in the corner with the low down blues
Great big hole in the bottom of my shoes
Honey let me be your salty dog

Chorus:
Let me be your salty dog
Or I won't by your man at all
Honey let me be your salty dog

Listen here Sal I know you
Run down stocking and a worn out shoe
Honey let me be your salty dog

Down in the wildwood sitting on a log
Finger on the trigger and my eye on a hog
Honey let me be your salty dog

I pulled the trigger and the gun said go
The shot fell over in Mexico
Honey let me be your salty dog

Chorus and Verse:

|: I–VI II V I :|