Artist: Steve Earle | Song: The Gringo's Tale

Artist/Band: Earle Steve Tabs
Song: The Gringo's Tale Tab

Artist: Steve Earle

(Verse 1)

G                            F  C   
Beggin� your pardon there stranger
                                  G
You look like you�re new to this town
                                F    C
We�re a long way away from the beach here
                               G
You won�t see many gringos around
                          F  C
Well I come from West Colorado
                                      G
And I�ve wandered this world far and wide
                                   F C
I�ve lived for some years in the shadows
                               G
And my eyes are unused to this light
                                  F C
If you buy me a strong drink of whiskey
                               G
I will tell you the tale of my life
                                   F  C                
It�s long and it�s sad but it fits me
                                G
And it may bring a tear to your eye

(Verse 2)

All the men of my family were solidiers
The hard fightin� straight talkin� kind
When my turn came all that was over
But I�d already made up my mind
I was there when we blew though Grenada
And I still have to ask myself why
Then we took down that fool Noriega
That�s where I caught the good colonel�s eye
Well he asked me if I loved my country
And before I had time to reply
He regaled me with tales of past glories
I believed every one of his lies

(Verse 3)

So I left my old life behind me
Turned my back on my family and friends
And I did everything that they asked me
And I lost some sleep now and again
And I lived like a thief and assassin
I smuggled their poisons sometimes
Until I asked the wrong question in passin�

(Verse 4)

And the colonel himself dropped the dime
So if you�re ever in west Colorado
Tell the folks in Durango goodbye
There�s a price on my head and I can�t go
So I�ll just wait around here �til I die