Johnny Cash - Last Gunfighter Ballad

capo 4

Bm A
the old gunfighter stood on the porch and stared into sun
G D
and relived all the old days back when he was livin’ by the gun
Bm A
when deadly games of pride were played and livin’ was mistakes not made

chorus 1 :
G
and the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
A D
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
G D
the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
A D
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

and it’s always keep your back to the sun and you can almost feel the weight of that gun
it’s faster than snakes or a blink of the eye and it’s a time for all slow men to die
his eyes get squinty and he’s straight as log as he empties his gun at the dirty dog

chorus 2 :
and he’s hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

now the burn of a bullet is only a scar and he’s back in his chair in front of a bar
and the streets’re empty and the blood’s all dried , the dead ’re dust and and the
inside
so buy him a drink and lend him an ear he’s nobody’s fool and he’s the only one here

chorus 3 :
who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
remember the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

said i stood in that street before it was paved , i learned the shoot or be shot before i
shave
and i did it all for the money and the fame , noble was nothing but feelin’ no shame
and nothing was sacred but stayin’ alive and all that i learned from a colt 45

chorus 4 :
was to cuss the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
cuss the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

now he’s just an old man that nobody believes says he’s a gunfighter the last of his breed
and there’s ghosts in the street seekin’ revenge , callin’ him out to the lunatic fringe
he’s out in the traffic now checking the sun and he’s killed by a car as he goes for his gun

chorus 5 :
so much for the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
so much for the smell of the black powder smoke
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke