VERSE
Am                                     D    
Gus checked his pocket-watch it was a quarter past nine 
Am                                            G            E 
He caught a train to Baton Rouge and bought a copy of the times. 
Am                               D 
Pulled out a faded picture of a woman with coal black hair 
         F                     E                  Am 
She had gone out east and he prayed he’d find her there. 

Am                            D 
She met a gambler who said he hailed from New Orleans 
Am                              G                E 
Gus knew he fancied her but she wanted him too it seemed  
Am                                              D 
He followed the trail of broken stories till he heard that she left town, 
        F                      E              Am 
She was packed and gone by the time he turned around 

FILL: 
C      G     Am        C     G      E 

Am                                    D 
He talked to the man a while that had tore the ticket stubs 
Am                                           G                E 
If he finds that son of a b***h he was gonna spill that Cajun blood 
Am                                      D 
There would not be a mojo man who would save him from that day 
       F                    E                  Am 
He had crossed the line and there’d be hell to pay 

Am                                     D 
Well the 10 o’clock from San Antone it departed right on time 
Am                           G               E 
He lit up a cigarette as the tracks began to whine 
Am                                    D 
The Texas heat had felt like hell without his woman there 
    F              E                   Am 
The Spanish maiden with the coal black hair 

FILL:  C  G  Am    C  G  E  


[Refrão]
 
              Am           F                       C                G 
You’re gonna live and die by the blade and you’ll reap what you sow 
       Am                   F              C              G 
Cause life the things that happens on our way to growing old 
        Am                 F                C                G 
If the truth was known to woman she could steal her lover’s soul 
Am                   E            Am 
She knows that the devil pays in gold. 

FILL:   C  G  Am    C  G  E  

Am                                  D 
They pulled into the station and he packed his cap and ball 
Am                                G                    E 
He went to check the hotels if he needed to check them all 
Am                                 D 
He knew all he needed to do was to find a game of card 
             F               E                      Am 
And he could drop the ace of spades on the queen of hearts 

Am                                          D 
He found the downstairs card room where the high rollers stayed 
Am                             G                  E 
One chair stood empty from the last table left to play 
Am                                     D 
He pulled a stool up to the bar but he could not see a thing 
       F                 E              Am 
Till a loud mouth Yankee bet his lady’s ring 

FILL   C  G  Am    C  G  E  
Am                                         D                                  
Pulled a pistol on the desk clerk cause he would not take a bribe  
Am                  G                            E 
and then he shouted Give me their number and you might walk out alive 
Am                                           D 
The next thing from the clerk’s lips was the number forty-four 
       F                    E                 Am 
And he pointed upstairs and he ran on out the door 

Am                        D 
He found the room and was ready to go inside 
Am                               G          E 
He put a boot to the door and it flung open wide 
Am                                        D 
The gambler he reached for his gun but he would not get a shot 
    F                  E               Am 
Gus had his aim and he let that hammer drop 

FILL   C  G  Am    C  G  E  


[Refrão]

              Am           F                       C                G 
You’re gonna live and die by the blade and you’ll reap what you sow 
       Am                   F              C              G 
Cause life the things that happens on our way to growing old 
        Am                 F                C                G 
If the truth was known to woman she could steal her lover’s soul 
Am                   E            Am 
She knows that the devil pays in gold. 

C   G   Am   C   G   Am   C   G   Am   Am   E   Am   E strum once  

Am                                D 
The gambler lay before him he was sprawled across that chair 
Am                       G                   E 
But where was his maiden with the coal black hair 
Am                                           D 
He didn’t know she stood behind him, she had gone for wine and bread 
   F                      E                 Am 
He hit the floor when her bullet struck his head. 

FILL   C  G  Am    C  G  E  

[Refrão]
 
              Am           F                       C                G 
You’re gonna live and die by the blade and you’ll reap what you sow 
       Am                   F              C              G 
Cause life the things that happens on our way to growing old 
        Am                 F                C                G 
If the truth was known to woman she could steal her lover’s soul 
Am                   E            Am 
She knows that the devil pays in gold.