Copper Canteen — James McMurtry
Chords and lyrics for Copper Canteen by James McMurtry (key of G).
Verse 1
From the live performance on 12 string at:
Chords
[G/D] [G/C#] [G/B] [G/A] [G] [G/F#] [Em] [Em/G] [Em/F#] [A7sus2] [Bm]
Intro
[G/D] [G/C#] [G/B] [G/A]
[G] [G/F#] [Em] [Em]
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/F#]
[G] [G/F#] [Em] [G/A]
Verse 1
Honey,[G/D] don't you be[G/C#] yelling at me[G/B]
when I'm [G/A]cleaning my [G][G/F#]gun[G/A][Em]
I'll[G/D] wash the [G/C#]blood off the [G/B]tailgate
when [G/A]deer season's[G] [G/F#]done[G/B][Em]
We got [G]one more weekend to[A7sus2] go
And I'd [G]like to kill[G/F#] one more [Em]doe[G/B]
Instrumental
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/F#]
[G] [G/F#] [A7sus2]
Verse 2
So [G/D]I'll shovel the [G/C#]sidewalk again[G/B]
'cause [G/A]you're still in[G] a [G/F#]stew[G/A][Em]
I bet the[G/D] bridge tender's[G/C#] widow won't [G/B]mind
that I [G/A]can't please [G][G/F#]you[G/A][Em]
She's [G]sure got the run of [A7sus2]the men
Out here[G] where the [G/F#]pickin's are[Em] thin
[G/B]and there's not much to do
Instrumental
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/F#]
[G] [G/F#] [Em] [G/A]
Bridge
[Bm]I woke up last night in the grip of a fright
[G]scared to breathe for I might make a noise
[Bm]This life that we craved so little we saved
[G]between the grandparents graves [A7sus2]and the grandchildren's toys
Verse 3
We grew up [G/D]hard [G/C#]and our children[G/B]
don't know[G/A] what that [G][G/F#]means[G/A][Em]
We turned[G/D] into our [G/C#]parents [G/B]before
we were [G/A]out of our [G][G/F#]teens[G/A][Em]
Through[G] a series of Chevys [A7sus2]and Fords
The [G]occasional [G/F#]spin round the [Em]floor
[G/B]at the Copper Canteen
Instrumental
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/G] [Em/F#] [Em/E]
[G] [G/F#] [A7sus2]
Verse 4
Now the [G/D]big boxes out[G/C#] on the [G/B]bypass
are [G/A]shaving us [G][G/F#]thin[G/A][Em]
I guess [G/D]we'll hold on [G/C#]a couple [G/B]more years
'til [G/A]the pension [G]kicks [G/F#]in[G/A][Em]
Then we'll [G]sell all the stock in [A7sus2]the store
Leave [G]only the [G/F#]lock on the [Em]door
[G/B]And wonder what then
Instrumental
[G/D] [G/C#] [G/C#] [G/B] [G/A] [G/B] [Em]
[G] [G/F#] [Em] [G/B]
Bridge
[Bm]When I wake up at night in the grip of a fright
[G]and you hold me so tight to your chest
[Bm]Then your breath on my skin still pulls me back in
[G]'til I'm weightless and then I [A7sus2]can rest
Verse 5
So if [G/D]Monsignor [G/C#]should pull [G/B]you aside
as you're[G/A] leaving the [G][G/F#]church[G/A][Em]
And I'm [G/D]out on the [G/C#]ice, [G/B]dropping lines
for the [G/A]walleye and [G][G/F#]perch[G/A][Em]
Tell him it's not your [G]job to bring me to the[A7sus2] fold
And I'd [G]rather stand[G/F#] out in the [Em]cold[G/A]
Verse 6
And [G/D]honey I know that the[G/C#] woodpile's[G/B] low
and you [G/A]can't close the[G] [G/F#]flue[G/A][Em]
So I'll [G/D]split up a [G/C#]couple more[G/B] cords
'fore the[G/A] winter time's[G] [G/F#]through[G/A][Em]
[G]Hold on to your rosary[A7sus2] beads
Leave [G]me to my [G/F#]mischievous [Em]deeds
[G/A]like we always do
Outro
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/F#]
[G] [G/F#] [A7sus2]
[G/D] [G/C#] [Em/G] [Em/F#]
[A7sus2] [G]
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