Johnny Lee

Cherokee Fiddle

Johnny Lee


Tom: D

 D          G          A    Bb    Bm   Bb
//// ////  //// ////  //// ////  //// ////

         D                     G
When the train pulled into the station
                 A   Bb                Bm    Bb
He'd open up his case and resin up his bow
                 D                       G
He'd play upside down the Orange Blossom Special
             A7                                                D
Cause if you want to make a living you've got to put on a good show

              Bm                      D        
And when he'd smell the smoke and the cinders
                    Bm                    Em         A7
He'd slick back his hair, and open up his case
                       D                            G
He'd play the Cherokee Fiddle, he'd play it for the whiskey
           A7                             D
Cause good whiskey never let him lose his place

              D                      G
He was always there, playing for the miners
            A           Bb             Bm      Bb
The Devil's Dream was a song they understood
              D             G
And then he'd go out to Oklahoma

         A7                                                    D
But he'd wait till the trains were running and the weather was good

              Bm                      D        
And when he'd smell the smoke and the cinders
                    Bm                    Em         A7
He'd slick back his hair, and open up his case
                       D                            G
He'd play the Cherokee Fiddle, he'd play it for the whiskey
           A7                             D
Cause good whiskey never let him lose his place

[Instrumental]
D          G          A    Bb    Bm   Bb
//// ////  //// ////  //// ////  //// ////
D          G          A7         D
//// ////  //// ////  //// ////  //// ////

        D                            G
Now the Indians are dressing up like cowboys
        A                   Bb                    Bm    Bb
And the cowboys are putting leather and turquoise on
        D                G
And the music is sold by lawyers
        A7                                                  D
And the fools who fiddled in the middle of the stations are gone

           Bm                D
Some folks say they'll never miss it
                Bm                       Em     A7
That old fiddle squealed like the engine brakes
             D              G
The Cherokee Fiddle is gone forever
         A7                                            D
Like the music of the whistle that the old locomotives made

            Bm                      D
So when you smell the smoke and the cinders
                Bm                     Em      A7
Slick back your hair, and open up your case
                  D                               G
Play the Cherokee Fiddle, you can play it for the whiskey
     A                  Bb                Bm       Bb
Good whiskey will never let you lose your place
     D                  A7                D
Good whiskey will never let you lose your place

Bm   Bb    D    G
//// ////  //// ////

     D                  A7                D
Good whiskey will never let you lose your place