[ intro ]
| F | C | % | % | x2
[ verse 1 ]
F C
you see these work boots in my hands , they’ll probably fit you now my son
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
take them , they’re a gift from me , why don’t you try them on?
F C
it would do your old man good to see you walking in these boots one day
A# C Dm Gm C7 C F
and take your place among the men who work upon the slipway
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots , though they’re old and curled
A# F
when a feller needs a job and a place in the world
A# C Dm Gm ( let it ring )
and it’s time for a man to put down roots
C7 C
and walk to the river in his old man’s boots
[ intro half ] ( do this once , instead of twice like you do at first )
| F | C | % | % |
[ verse 2 ]
F C
he said , “i’m nearly done and asking this , that you do one final thing for me
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C
you’re barely but a sapling , and you think that you’re a tree
F C
if you need a seed to prosper , you must first put down some roots
A# C Dm Gm C F
just one foot then the other in these dead man’s boots”
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they could walk there themselves and they probably will
A# C Dm Gm
there’s a place for you there to sink your roots
C7 C
and take a walk to the river in his old man’s boots
[ mini bridge ]
| F | D# |
[ verse 3 ]
A# F Gm C
i said , “why in the hell would i do that? and why would i agree?”
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
when his hand was all that i’d received , as far as i remember
A# F Gm C
it’s not as if he’d spoiled me with his kindness up to then you see
A# C Dm Gm C F
i’d a plan of me own and i’d quit this place when i came of age september
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they could walk there themselves and they probably will
A# C Dm Gm
i’d plenty of choices , and plenty other routes
C7 C
and he’d never see me walking in these dead man’s boots
[ mini bridge ]
| F | D# |
[ verse 4 ]
( variates a little from verse 3 )
A# F Gm C
what was it made him think i’d be happy ending up like him?
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
when he’d hardly got two half pennies left , or a broken pot to piss in
A# F Gm C
he wanted this same thing for me , was that his final wish?
A# C Dm Gm C ( root note )
he said , “what the hell are you going to do?”
n . C
i said , “anything but this!”
F ( listen to the song to know where to play it )
[ outro ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they can walk there themselves and they most likely will
A# F
but they won’t walk with me because i’m off the other way
A# F
i’ve had it up to here , i’m going to have my say
A# F
when all you’ve got left is that cross on the wall
A# F
i want nothing from you , i want nothing at all
Gm F
not a pension nor a pittance , when your whole life is through
A# C
get this through your head , i’m nothing like you
A# A# Gm ( let ring )
i’m done with all the arguments , there’ll be no more dispute
C G# Gm F ( rings until finishes )
and you’ll die before you see me in your dead man’s boots
[ intro ]
| F | C | % | % | x2
[ verse 1 ]
F C
you see these work boots in my hands , they’ll probably fit you now my son
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
take them , they’re a gift from me , why don’t you try them on?
F C
it would do your old man good to see you walking in these boots one day
A# C Dm Gm C7 C F
and take your place among the men who work upon the slipway
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots , though they’re old and curled
A# F
when a feller needs a job and a place in the world
A# C Dm Gm ( let it ring )
and it’s time for a man to put down roots
C7 C
and walk to the river in his old man’s boots
[ intro half ] ( do this once , instead of twice like you do at first )
| F | C | % | % |
[ verse 2 ]
F C
he said , “i’m nearly done and asking this , that you do one final thing for me
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C
you’re barely but a sapling , and you think that you’re a tree
F C
if you need a seed to prosper , you must first put down some roots
A# C Dm Gm C F
just one foot then the other in these dead man’s boots”
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they could walk there themselves and they probably will
A# C Dm Gm
there’s a place for you there to sink your roots
C7 C
and take a walk to the river in his old man’s boots
[ mini bridge ]
| F | D# |
[ verse 3 ]
A# F Gm C
i said , “why in the hell would i do that? and why would i agree?”
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
when his hand was all that i’d received , as far as i remember
A# F Gm C
it’s not as if he’d spoiled me with his kindness up to then you see
A# C Dm Gm C F
i’d a plan of me own and i’d quit this place when i came of age september
[ chorus ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they could walk there themselves and they probably will
A# C Dm Gm
i’d plenty of choices , and plenty other routes
C7 C
and he’d never see me walking in these dead man’s boots
[ mini bridge ]
| F | D# |
[ verse 4 ]
( variates a little from verse 3 )
A# F Gm C
what was it made him think i’d be happy ending up like him?
A# C Dm Gm Gm7 C7
when he’d hardly got two half pennies left , or a broken pot to piss in
A# F Gm C
he wanted this same thing for me , was that his final wish?
A# C Dm Gm C ( root note )
he said , “what the hell are you going to do?”
n . C
i said , “anything but this!”
F ( listen to the song to know where to play it )
[ outro ]
C F
these dead man’s boots know their way down the hill
A# F
they can walk there themselves and they most likely will
A# F
but they won’t walk with me because i’m off the other way
A# F
i’ve had it up to here , i’m going to have my say
A# F
when all you’ve got left is that cross on the wall
A# F
i want nothing from you , i want nothing at all
Gm F
not a pension nor a pittance , when your whole life is through
A# C
get this through your head , i’m nothing like you
A# A# Gm ( let ring )
i’m done with all the arguments , there’ll be no more dispute
C G# Gm F ( rings until finishes )
and you’ll die before you see me in your dead man’s boots
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