Todd Snider

Ballad Of The Devil's Backbone Tavern

Todd Snider


Tom: C

C               A                  D        G        C 
Old Miss Virgy tended bar at this shack out in the hills 
                        A             D7               G 
It never made her any money boys but paid of all her bills 
     C                                        F                     
Now she must have been 80 years old but her heart was warm 
         D7 
And her beer was cold 
      C                      A 
She gave away more than she ever sold 
   D     G       C 
Smiling all the time 
 
 C                  A              D     G      C 
I used to sing off in the corner every Friday night 
                      A      D7                   G 
To a loud crowd of cowboys, bikers and bar room fights 
             C                               F                        D7 
They were drinking beer, carrying on, not a one of them listening to one of my songs 
     C              A 
But old Miss Virgy sang along 
               D       G       C 
She said she knew 'em all by heart 
 
     C                      A           D        G      C     
And then one night after closing she poured me another beer 
                                A 
She said "Come on over and sit down you little shit 
         D7                  G 
I got something you need to hear" 
           C                                  F                           D7                        
She said "Life ain't easy getting through everybody's gonna make things tough on you 
           C                         A                           D    G        C 
But I can tell you right now if you dig what you do, they will never get you down" 
 
           C                   A   
She said life's too short to worry 
 D           G      C 
Life's too long to wait 
 C                 A 
Too short not to love everybody 
 D7                 G 
Life's too long to hate 
          C 
I meet a lot of men who haggle and finagle all the time 
   F                           D7 
Trying to save a nickel maybe make a dime 
 C      A          D        G       C 
Not me, no sireee, I ain't got the time 
  
    C                  A       D               G          C 
Now I ain't seen Ol' Virgy in must have been about ten years 
                     A                             D7                 G 
I've been bumming around this country singing my songs for tips and beers 
          C 
Now the nights are long 
 
The driving's tough 
  F                   D7               
Hotels stink, and the pay sucks 
    C                  A                  D    G        C 
But I can't dig what I do enough, so it never gets be down 
 
        C                   A 
I say life's too short to worry 
 D           G      C 
Life's too long to wait 
                   A 
Too short not to love everybody 
 D7                 G 
Life's too long to hate 
          C  
I meet a lot of men who haggle and finagle all the time 
  F                            D7 
Trying to save a nickel maybe make a dime 
 C       A         D        G       C 
Not me, no sireee, I ain't got the time

Cookie Consent

This website uses cookies or similar technologies, to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized recommendations. By continuing to use our website, you agree to our Privacy Policy