Johnny Cash - Abner Brown

Capo: 1st fret

[Intro]
A

[Intro Verse]
A
Every town has its town bum, I guess
A
Ours had one
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Here’s a song about him; I remember him fondly well
A
His name was Abner Brown

[Verse 1]
A E7 A
I knew an old drunk named Abner Brown
E7
Nobody knew when he came to town
D A
But he spread goodwill to his fellow men
E7 A
And they let him sleep in the cotton gin
D A
He could drink more brew than an army could
E7
But he had more friends and he did more good
D A
Than a lot of fine, fancy people in our town
E7 A
So they tolerated Abner Brown
E7 A
And all us kids were on his side
E7
‘cause he told us tales ‘til our eyes grew wide
D A
And he made us feel about ten feet tall
E7 A
‘cause he had no kids but he claimed us all
E7 A
And after school and on weekends
E7
You could find me down at the cotton gin
D A
The truest friend that I ever found
E7 A
Was a good old drunk named Abner Brown

[Chorus]
F#m D A
Abner Brown, I wish that I could see you once again
F#m D A E7
I believe that you’d stack up with all the mighty men
A
I’ve met and known in all the low
D
And higher places that I’ve been
A F#m
Thinking of you picks me up when I’m feeling down (down low)
D E7 A
I thank the Lord for making Abner Brown

[Verse 2]
A E7 A
Lord, take me back to the cotton land
E7
To Arkansas, take me home again
D A
Let me be the boy that I once have been
E7 A
Let me walk that road to the cotton gin
E7 A
He’s probably dead many years ago
E7
And gone the way that old drunks go
D A
But I’d still like to sit me down
E7 A
Talk to my old friend Abner Brown

[Chorus]
F#m D A
Abner Brown, I wish that I could see you once again
F#m D A E7
I believe that you’d stack up with all the mighty men
A
I’ve met and known in all the low
D
And higher places that I’ve been
A F#m
Thinking of you picks me up when I’m feeling down (down low)
D E7 A
I thank the Lord for making Abner Brown
D E7 A
I thank the Lord for making Abner Brown