The Ballad Of Mr Jenkins

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With skin as tough as a burlap sack
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He had his second heart attack
C                         G
Last summer but hes still goin

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Theres a melancholy in his eyes
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For all of you who care enough
Cadd9                       G
To wonder why, well, let me tell you

Em                     Asus
It all started back in 1957
Cadd9                            D        Cadd9
When ole Walt Disney took him by surprise
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Thats the day Old Yeller died

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Well, that twelve year old became a man
G/B                              Cadd9
Eleven years too soon in Vietnam
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With his best friend Tommy

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They were tough as nails and southern born
G/B                                   Cadd9
And awfully proud to wear that uniform
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Then things got scary

Em                           Asus
On April 4th, Tommy left for Heaven
Cadd9                                D       Cadd9
The same year the world was taken by surprise
G/B       D          Cadd9    G
Thats the day Martin Luther died

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So before you judge him you need to know
Cadd9
Theres more to that old man than what you
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See there on that barstool with a Bourbon in his hand

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You heard about his younger years
Cadd9
But dont leave now theres more to hear
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That might explain the pain in that old man

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How quick America forgot
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About the only war theyd lost
Cadd9                             G
And life goes on, thats what they tell ya

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No ticker tape no reason why
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Might have never seen the end of that chapter
Cadd9                        G
Of his life, if he hadnt met Betty

Em                             Asus
They got married in December 1980
Cadd9                               D
No doubt it was the best day of his life
Cadd9 G/B      D     Cadd9  G
Two days before John Lennon died

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So before you judge him you need to know
Cadd9
Theres more to that old man than what you
G                                 D
See there on that barstool with a Bourbon in his hand

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Now weve covered chapter two
Cadd9
I can almost see a change in you
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Theres still a lot of life in that old man

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He hadnt had a drink in at least a year
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To tell the truth Im shocked hes here
Cadd9                      D
But as long as he wants em, Im gonna pour em

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Before you came in I asked him why
        G/B                                      Cadd9
He just raised his fragile head and wiped his eyes
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And then he told me

Em                                    Asus
Ive seen so much in my life Ive never questioned
     Cadd9                         D        Cadd9
This time the good Lord took me by surprise
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Yesterday my Betty died

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With skin as tough as a burlap sack
G/B
He had his second heart attack
Cadd9                         G
Last summer but hes still goin