Tom: D | D | D | D | D | [Verse 1] G He lived upon the mountain in a run down country shack D They'd say, "Don't go around him, you might never make it back" G As a boy, I'd lie awake in my bed at the orphan home D And I could hear the old man play guitar, the gospel blues he moaned A The sound of the music would take me away C G D I knew I'd meet that mountain man someday, someday [Verse 2] G One night after supper, that old feeling got the best of me D I heard that sound and I gave in to my curiosity G I climbed up on the mountain and there on the porch he sat D With a Mason jar beneath his feet and a guitar on his lap A The sound of the music took me away C G D I knew I'd meet that mountain man someday [Chorus] D Tall as an oak tree covered with age A The mountain was his audience, the front porch was his stage D And he sang, "Rock of ages and precious memories C G D D Son, there's a better place for you and me" [Verse 3] G We talked and talked for hours, he told me about his life D He spoke and cried of a beautiful girl that once had been his wife G He said she died while giving birth to a child he'd never see D The town-folks said he couldn't raise a boy, they claimed he was crazy as me A The county took his son away C G D He's lived upon the mountain since that day, yeah [Instrumental] | D | D | D | D | x2 [Verse 4] G Later in the evening, he held me to his side D He said he hoped he had a boy like me then he closed his eyes and died G In his hand, he held a picture and my face had turned blood red D When I realized it was just the same as the one above my bed A The good Lord took my daddy away C G D But I know we'll be walking hand in hand someday [Chorus] D Tall as an oak tree covered with age A The mountain was his audience, the front porch was his stage D And he sang, "Rock of ages and precious memories C G D Son, there's a better place for you and me" [Outro] C G D G G7 D There's a better place for the mountain man and me