Cocaine Blues (Live) — Johnny Cash

Chords and lyrics for Cocaine Blues (Live) by Johnny Cash (key of C).

Intro

[C]

Verse 1

Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds,
[G]I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down.
[G]I went right home and I went to bed,
[C]I stuck that lovin' .44 beneath my head.

Verse 2

[C]Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun.
[G]Took a shot of cocaine and away I run.
[G]Made a good run but I run too slow,
[C]They overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico.

Verse 3

[C]Laid in the hot joints takin' the pill.
[G]In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill.
[G]He said Willie Lee, your name is not Jack Brown.
[C]You're the dirty hack that shot your woman down.

Verse 4

[C]Said yes, oh yes, my name is Willie Lee.
[G]If you've got a warrant just read it to me.
[G]Shot her down because she made me slow.
[C]I thought I was her daddy but she had five more.

Verse 5

[C]When I was arrested, I was dressed in black.
[G]They put me on a train and they took me back.
[G]Had no friend for to go my bail.
[C]They slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail.

Verse 6

[C]Early next mornin' 'bout a half past nine,
[G]I spied a sheriff comin' down the line.
[G]Upped and he coughed as he cleared his throat,
[C]He said come on, you dirty hack, into that district court.

Verse 7

[C]Into the courtroom my trial began
[G]Where I was held by twelve honest men.
[G]Just before the jury started out,
[C]I saw that little judge commence to look about.

Verse 8

[C]In about five minutes in walked a man
[G]Holding the verdict in his right hand.
[G]The verdict read in the first degree,
[C]I hollered lordy, lordy, have mercy on me.

Verse 9

[C]The judge, he smiled as he picked up his pen.
[G]Ninety-nine years in the Folsom pen.
[G]Ninety-nine years underneath that ground,
[C]I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down.

Ending

[C]Come all, you gotta listen unto me, [F]
[D]Lay off that whiskey and let that [G]cocaine [C]be.