Gordon Lightfoot – The Auctioneer (Guitar)

Capo 3

Key

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Chords

[INTRO] G N.C. Hey well, all right, sir

                                                 G 
Open the gate and let 'em out and walk 'em boys

N.C. Here we come and let in number twenty-nine What are you gonna give for the little fella [CHORUS]

  G
I want a five dollar want a bid

Would you bid it on a five on a five on a five Will you bid it on a twenty-five Got a twenty-five dollar would you bid it on five on the five Will you bid it on a thirty dollar five on five Will you bid it on a five, will you bid it on a thirty-five [VERSE 1] Well, there was a boy from Arkansas

    C
Who wouldn't listen to his ma 

     D                                 G       D
When she told him that he should go to school

           G
Well, he'd sneak away in the afternoon

       C
Take a little walk and pretty soon 

      D                             G 
You'd find him at the local auction barn

[VERSE 2]

           C
Well, he'd stand and listen carefully

  G
Until at last he began to see 

        A                             D
How the auctioneer could talk so rapidly 

         G
Well, he said, "Oh my, it's do or die

     C
I've got to learn that auction cry 

      D                            G 
Gonna make my mark and be an auctioneer"

[CHORUS] Twenty-five dollar bid you now thirty dollar thirty

         C
Will you make it thirty, bid it on a thirty dollar thirty dollar 

D                                                       G     D
Will you give me thirty, will you give me thirty dollar bill

        G
I got a thirty dollar bid you now 

                           C 
Five will you beat it on a thirty-five, bid it on thirty-five, thirty-five 

D                                          G
Who's gonna bid it at a thirty-five dollar bill

[INSTRUMENTAL] G C D G C D G [VERSE 3] Well, the time went by and he did his best

    C
And all could see he did not jest 

   D                                     G    D
He practiced calling bids both night and day 

          G
Well, his pappy found him behind the barn

     C
Just working up an awful storm 

      D                          G 
As he tried to imitate the auctioneer

[VERSE 4]

         C
Then his pop said, "Son, we just can't stand

   G
To have a mediocre man 

        A                                 D
Selling things at auction, using our good name 

      G
Gonna send you off to auction school

    C
And then you'll be nobody's fool 

    D                                 G 
And you can take your place among the best"

[CHORUS] Thirty-five dollar bid you now forty dollar forty

         C
Will you make it forty, bid it on a forty dollar forty dollar 

D                                                     G     D
Will you give me forty, will you give me forty dollar bill 

        G
I got a forty dollar bid you now 

                           C 
Five will you beat it on a forty-five, bid it on forty-five, forty-five 

D                                         G
Who's gonna bid it at a forty-five dollar bill

[INSTRUMENTAL] G C D G C D G [VERSE 5] And from that boy that went to school

      C
There grew a man who played it cool 

   D                                   G     D
He come back home a full fledged auctioneer 

        G
And the people would come from miles around 

        C
Just to hear him make that rhythmic sound 

     D                                     G 
That filled their hearts with such a happy cheer

[VERSE 6]

        C
And his fame spread out from shore to shore 

     G
He'd all that he could do and more 

   A                          D
He had to buy a plane to get around 

          G
Well, now he's the best in all the land

      C
Let's pause and give that man a hand 

       D                              G 
'Cause he's the best of all the auctioneers

[CHORUS] Forty-five dollar bid you now fifty dollar fifty

         C
Will you make it fifty, bid it on a fifty dollar fifty dollar 

D                                                     G     D
Will you give me fifty, will you give me fifty dollar bill 

        G
I got a fifty dollar bid you now 

                           C 
Five will you beat it on a fifty-five, bid it on fifty-five, fifty-five 

D                                         G
Who's gonna bid it at a fifty-five dollar bill

[INSTRUMENTAL] G C D G C D G [OUTRO]

        D                                G
Well, I sold that hog for a fifty dollar bill