[Verso 1]
E 
T-bone Billy just a singin' the blues 
D 
Caught his lady with another man 
A                            G 
Lit up a smoke and did some talkin' 
                    E 
With the back of his hand....Smack! 

E 
She started shakin', started losing her mind 
           D 
But he was kicking back and playing it cool 
A 
Signed her walkin' papers 
             G             E 
Took the 5:15 to Kalamazoo 
 

[Pré-Refrão]
A 
Sing for your supper, 
Em 
Nobody rides for free 
D                               B 
Eat your heart out, I'll send it C.O.D. 


[Refrão]
E              F#     G 
One, two baby what you do 
A 
Three, four let me show you the door 
G                          F#        F      Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me 
E                     F#   G 
Five, six take your last licks 
A 
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight 
G                           F#       F       Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me 


[Verso 2]
E                                       D 
Now Billy-boy's out havin' a ball, playin' fiddle at the local bar 
A                             G            E 
Dark shades, cool kicks, he's Hollywood Blvd. 
E 
Slick Daddy and his fat cigar sayin': 
D 
"Sign along the dotted line!" 
A 
He shook his head and said: 
G                                  E 
"All I need is this fiddle of mine!" 


[Pré-Refrão]
A 
Sing for your supper, 
Em 
Nobody rides for free 
D                                            B 
Take your big time, I’ll take care of m-m-m-me! 


[Refrão]
E              F#     G 
One, two baby what you do 
A 
Three, four let me show you the door 
G                          F#        F      Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me 
E                     F#   G 
Five, six take your last licks 
A 
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight 
G                           F#       F       Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me 

G 
When trouble came knockin' 
D                          E 
Billy kept rockin' like this… 


[Pré-Refrão]
A 
Sing for your supper, 
Em 
Nobody rides for free 
D                                            B 
Take your big time, I’ll take care of m-m-m-me! 


[Refrão]
E              F#     G 
One, two baby what you do 
A 
Three, four let me show you the door 
G                          F#        F      Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me 
E                     F#   G 
Five, six take your last licks 
A 
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight 
G                           F#       F       Em 
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me