Kris Kristofferson - Johnny Lobo

johnny lobo – kris kristofferson
from the album : “a moment of forever”

standard tuning

intro :

D G A D following the harp . . . “this is the true story”

D G A D

D G
once upon a dusty reservation
A D
somewhere in the land of sittin’ bull
D G A
johnny lobo played with fire and dreamed of open spaces
D
locked inside a heaven gone to hell
G Fm#
all the dreams were gone but not forgotten
A
murdered like the holy buffalo
Fm# G A
johnny lobo knew the rules and grew into a warrior
D
fightin’ for his people and his soul

chorus :

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

D G A D
oh . . . . . . johnny lobo
D G A D
oh . . . . . . johnny lobo

D chord is played by 2 guitars , picking the strings and following the strumming as melody .

D chord D chord D – Dadd9 chord D – Dadd9 chord

E | – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 0 – 2 – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 0 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
B | – – – – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
G | – – 2 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – 2 – – – – – 2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
D | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
A | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |
E | – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – |

may not be accurate , but sounds ok . same pattern can be followed just strumming
and playing D – Dadd9 – D5

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

D G
rooted down with lessons that he carried
A D
home from vietnam to wounded knee
D G A
johnny lobo burned the flag he knew had been dishonored
D
paid the price for thinkin’ he was free
G Fm#
someone set his house afire , burned it to the ground
Fm# A
with his wife and children locked inside
Fm# G A
later when the bitter tears were falling to the ashes
D
somethin’ good in johnny lobo died

chorus

harp melody . . .

D G
in a darkened corner of a tavern
A D
burnin’ down old memories again
D G A
johnny lobo stares into the smoke and dreams of clouds
D
runnin’ like wild horses with the wind
G Fm#
holy phoenix rising from the ashes
Fm# D
into the circle of the sun
Fm# G A
johnny lobo’s warrior heart was burnished in the embers
D
and the battle’s just begun

chorus

outro : D A G

ive tried to place the chords most accurate to the precisely moment when singing lyrics .
it means that every single “space” corresponds to the beating and strumming pattern .

so , as an example , when singing the part :

“d G ”
rooted down with lessons that he carried . . .

guitar is strumming the chord right before starting singin , therefore space .

and , therefore also , no space left when :

“a d”
somewhere in the land of sittin’ bull . . .

but every ear , brain and personality chooses the sounds differently . so be free to sing the song
as you please . better enjoy the singinthan get crazy tryin mathemathics on a guitar .