Intro: C C7 C F C 



[Verso 1]
 
C 
There's trouble on the street tonight, 
C 
I can feel it in my bones. 
C 
I had a premonition that 
C 
He should not go alone. 
C 
I knew the gun was loaded, 
C 
But I didn't think he'd kill. 
C 
Everything exploded, 
C 
And the blood began to spill. 



[Verso 2]
 
F 
So, baby, here's your ticket 
F 
Put the suitcase in your hand. 
F 
Here's a little money now 
F 
Do it just the way we planned. 
       C 
You be cool for twenty hours 
C 
And I'll pay you twenty grand. 



[Refrão]
 
    G 
I'm sorry it went down like this, 
G 
Someone had to lose. 
         F 
It's the nature of the business, 
                    C 
It's the smuggler's blues. 
C 
Smuggler's blues 



[Verso 3]
 
C 
The sailors and the pilots, 
C 
The soldiers and the law. 
C 
The payoffs and the ripoffs, 
C 
And the things nobody saw. 
C 
No matter if it's heroin, 
C 
Cocaine or hash. 
C 
You've got to carry weapons, 
C 
'Cause you always carry cash 



[Verso 4]

        F 
There's lots of shady characters, 
F 
Lots of dirty deals. 
F 
Every name's an alias, 
F 
In case somebody squeals. 
         C 
It's the lure of easy money, 
C 
It's gotta very strong appeal. 



[Refrão]
 
G 
Perhaps you'd understand it better 
G 
Standing in my shoes. 
         F 
It's the ultimate enticement, 
                    C 
It's the smuggler's blues. 
C 
Smuggler's blues 




[Verso 5]
 
C 
See it in the headlines, 
C 
You hear it every day. 
C 
They say they're gonna stop it, 
C 
But it doesn't go away. 
C 
They move it through Miami, 
C 
Sell it in L.A. 
C 
They hide it up in Telluride, 
C 
I mean it's here to stay. 



[Verso 6]
 
     F 
It's propping up the governments 
F 
Of Columbia and Peru. 
F 
You ask any DEA man, 
F 
He'll say there's nothing we can do. 
         C 
From the office of the President, 
C 
Right down to me and you. 
C 
Me and you 



[Refrão]

       G 
It's a losing proposition, 
G 
But one you can't refuse. 
         F 
It's the politics of contraband, 
                    C 
It's the smuggler's blues. 
C 
Smuggler's blues.