John Prine – The Bottomless Lake (Guitar)

Capo 3
Key
-

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Chords

[Intro] C G D G C G D G [Verse]
           G
Here's the story of a man and his family

      D                  G
And a big trip that they took
Well, I heard all about in a restaurant
      A7                   D
And I read it in a history book

     C                   G
They rented a car at the Erie Canal

                           C
But the car didn't have no brake

                  G
Said Ma to Pa "My God this car"

          D                        G
"Is gonna fall into the Bottomless Lake"
[Instrumental] C G D G
      G
Well, Mama turned to Daddy with a pale face

           D                       G
Said "I've done something horribly wrong"
"Well, the waters still runnin' in the bathtub"
      A7                            D
And I think I left the kitchen light on"

       C                 G
Then I heard a crash the car when splash

                                   C
And the compass rolled around and around

                          G
Oh, for Heaven's Sake! We fell in a lake

      D                     G
And I think we're all gonna drown
[Chorus]
       D
We are falling down

                        G
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
C                   G
I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

      D                       G
I may never see my sweetheart again
[Instrumental] C G D G
          G
There was plenty of food in the backseat

        D                      G
And the windows were rolled up tight
So we all nibbled on a chicken leg
     A7                     D
Told stories 'way thru' the night

      C                   G
Well, Pa told one that he told before

                        C
And the baby got a bellyache

                  G
Said Ma to Pa "My God this car"

         D                 G
"Falling down a Bottomless Lake"
[Chorus]
       D
We are falling down

                        G
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
C                   G
I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

      D                       G
I may never see my sweetheart again
[Instrumental] C G D G C G D G
G
Poppa played the music on the radio

     D                  G
Mama rocked the baby to sleep
He said he would've taken the other road
       A7                             D
But he didn't think the lake was that deep

             C                       G
Well, if the ferry been there at the end of the pier

                          C
We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's

                                   G
Instead of looking at fish out the window I wish

             D                        G
We'd hit the bottom of the Bottomless Lake

          C                       G
'Stead of looking at fish out the window I wish

             D                        G
We'd hit the bottom of the Bottomless Lake
[Chorus]
       D
We are falling down

                        G
Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground
Smoke 'em if you got 'em
C                   G
I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

      D                       G
I may never see my sweetheart again
[Instrumental] C G D G C G D G
G
So if you're ever goin' on a big trip

      D                  G
Ya better be careful out there
Start everything on your good foot
    A7              D
And wear clean underwear

C                         G
Take along a Bible in the backseat

                         C
Read of David and of Solomon

                                 G
For if you make a mistake in the Bottomless Lake

        D                         G
You may never see your sweetheart again

              C                     G
If you should make a mistake in the Bottomless Lake

        D                         G
You may never see your sweetheart again

              C                     G
If you should make a mistake in the Bottomless Lake

        D                         G
You may never see your sweetheart again
[Outro] C G D G C G D G D G