The Last Gunfighter Ballad
Guy Clark

INTRO: G

    Em 
Now the old gunfighter on the porch
D
Stared into the sun
  C 
Relived the days
   G
Of living by the gun
     Em
When deadly games of pride were played
    D
And living was mistakes not made
        C
And the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
 C                   G
Ah, the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

   Em
He can almost feel the weight of the gun
            D
It's always keep your back to the sun 
     C
It's faster than snakes or the blink of an eye
         G
And it's a time for all slow men to die
        Em
And his eyes get squinty and his fingers twitch
       D
And he empties the gun at the son of a bitch
         C
And he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
C                       G
Hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
 
        Em
Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar
     D
He's back in his chair in front of the bar
        C
And the streets are empty and the blood's all dried
        G
And the dead are dust and the whiskeys inside
   Em
So buy him a drink and lend him an ear
     D
He's nobody's fool and the only one here
    C
Who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
               D                                        G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
C                         G
Remember the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

        Em
He said I stood in that street before it was paved
        D
Learned shoot or be shot before I could shave
      C
And I did it all for the money and fame
G
Noble was nothing but feeling no shame
    Em
And nothing was sacred but stayin' alive
    D
And all that I learned from a Colt 45
       C
Was to curse the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
C                      G
Curse the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke


Em
Now he's just an old man that no one believes
D
Says he's a gunfighter, the last of the breed
              C
And there are ghosts in the street seeking revenge
G
Calling him out to the lunatic fringe
         Em
Now he's out in the traffic checking the sun
         D
And he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun
   C
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
   C                         G
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
        D                          G
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke