Merle Haggard – Uncle Lem (Guitar)

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Chords

[Verse 1]

C
The ladies of the garden club say

                                   G
His home is just a disgrace to the town

If the Mayor wants re-elected

                                       C
He'd better pass some laws and tear it down

They wanna cover it with flowers

                              F
Maybe even plant some dogwood trees

  G
I guess that they've forgotten

                                          C
When we were kids what that place used to be

[Verse 2]

C
I know it's just a shanty now

                                          G
But Lord, that place was built with human tears

For it's the home of Uncle Lem

                                           C
Who was born and raised and lived there ninety years

There's not a boy in this whole town

                                F
Hasn't stopped for water at his well

   G
Or sat on his porch in the evenin'

                                      C
And listened to the stories that he'd tell

[Chorus]

        G
Oh, his hair was the color of a cotton field

        F                C
And his skin was old and brown

    F                   C
And he was born in that rundown shack

                   G
Before there was a town

   F
He bought that shack and a piece of earth

        C
For the highest price to pay

His mom was bought and sold there

      G                C
Uncle Lem was born'd a slave

[Bridge]

C
The mayor and some ladies of the garden club

                                                        G
Went out to tell Uncle Lem that he'd have to find a new place to live

Well, they found him there in that old broken down rockin' chair

                                       C
And on an old paper bag they found his will

"Now I wanna leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this town

                                          G
For I remember when he a little fella, he used to follow me around

Lord, I wish I had more to give to my friends that I love But all I've got is this old shack and a piece of earth

C
And I want it to go to the ladies of the garden club"

[Chorus]

        G
Oh, his hair was the color of a cotton field

        F                C
And his skin was old and brown

    F                   C
And he was born in that rundown shack

                   G
Before there was a town

   F
He bought that shack and a piece of earth

        C
For the highest price to pay

His mom was bought and sold there

      G                C
Uncle Lem was born'd a slave