Justin Townes Earle – Over Alameda (Guitar)

Am      G/B            C
 Mama'd tell me of her hopes

Am            G/B             C
 And what she hoped to leave behind

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 And what she thought that she would find

       C/E       F
Out in California

Am           G/B        C
 She'd talk about Mississippi

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 I still don't know how it is

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 If any place could be worse than this

     C/E        F
It's hard to believe

           G           Em
She'd say, "Baby, if I could

           Am       F
Y'know I'd buy us a home

Em      G
Over Alameda where the green grass

Am  G/B  C  C/E   F
Grows

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 Now when she left the Delta

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 It was nineteen sixty six

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Come to Los Angeles

        C/E        F
She was nine years old

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And there was work to be had

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 Grandaddy worked at Firestone

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Made enough to buy a home

        C/E   F
Out in Wilmington

Am        G/B        C
 Then the jobs moved out

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Grandaddy died and we lost the house

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Moved into the Jordan Downs

C/E                 F
And been here ever since

G                            Em
Mama'd say there's something better

          Am              F
I'd say I know that there is

Em      G
Over Alameda where the white folks

Am  G/B  C  C/E   F
Live

N.C.               C
It's all I've ever known

Am       G/B        C
 I'm nineteen years old

     C/E      F
Just yesterday

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 And what I have seen

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     All I've discovered

           Am            G/B    C
Is there's nothing for a boy of color

C/E        F
But to fight

G                 Em
 And I'll keep on fighting

       Am                   F
'Cause they ain't licked me yet

      Em      G
Going over Alameda like Mama

Am  G/B  C C/E F
Said