armadillo jackal by robert earl keen

trascribbed by dwdrummer67 .

tuning : standard , or capo to vocals as necessary .

Am G
the evening sun was sinkin’ down , a chill north wind A – blows
F E
the new – plowed ground was coolin’ fast , the river rolls and flows
Am G
beneath the two – lane concrete river bridge between my place and town
F E
on that hot – bed farm to market road they call 1291
Am G
i’m sayin’ son you’ll see me searchin’ , sizzlin’ down that broad highway
F E
dollar signs in both my eyes , i’m seekin’ out my prey
Am G
i’m prayin’ “jesus , will you send me just another three or four?”
F E
they pay two – fifty down in halletsville , 3 dollars , maybe more
Am G
and more than likely they’ll be out tonight A – wanderin’ from the farms
F E
waddlin’ down 1291 to keep their bodies warm
Am G
i’m talking walkin’ belts and neckties , and boots for rodeo
F E
they don’t run too fast , don’t waste much gas , i’m makin’ lots o’dough

chorus :
Am C G D Am C G D
the armadillo . . . . o . . . . o . . . . othe armadillo . . . . o . . . . o . . . . o

Am G
the armadillo never sees me , when i hit him with my brights
F E
his life don’t flash before his eyes , he’s blinded by my lights
Am G
and so i hit him with my bumper doin’ sixty , sixty – five
F E
they take ’em frozen down in halletsville , they don’t take ’em alive

chorus :
Am C G D Am C G D
the jackal cri . . . . i . . . . i . . . ied the jackal cri . . . . i . . . . i . . . ied

Am G
the jackal cried , look there’s two of them A – walkin’ down the line
F E
i can’t believe my luck tonight this here makes twenty – nine
Am G
and so he rolled the first one runnin’ , the second was too fast
F E
his breaks and laughter squealin’ as he stomped down on the gas
Am G
good – god , his car was sideways flyin’ , when the bridge wall met his door
F E
the impact shook the river bed his foot went through the floor

chorus :
Am C G D Am C G D
forevermore . . . . or . . . . or . . . ore forevermore . . . . or . . . . or . . . . ore

Am G
forevermore was his last moment from the bridge wall to the stream
F E
from the speckled blood around his smile A – spewin’ gasoline
Am G
and then he screamed his raspy epitaph , before he turned to flame
F . . . E . . .
they pay two – fifty down in halletsville . . . . i ain’t the one to blame . . . . .

Am C G D Am C G D
ain’t it a sha . . . . A . . . . A . . . . ame the jackal cri . . . . i . . . . i . . . ied
Am C G D Am C G D
the armadillo . . . . o . . . . o . . . . o the armadillo . . . . o . . . . o . . . . o

( repeat until fade )