G                               C/G          G  
Billy Dee was seventeen when he turned twenty-one 
                                                 D 
Fooling with some foolish things he could've left alone 
            G                            C/G               G   
But he had to try to satisfy a thirst he couldn't name 
                                            D            G  
Driven towards the darkness by the devil in his veins 
              C/G                     G 
All around the honky tonks,searching for a sign 
                                        D 
Gettin' by on gettin' high on women,words and wine 
              G                               C/G               G  
Some folks called him crazy,Lord,and others called him free 
                                           D              G 
But we just called us lucky for the love of Billy Dee 

Verse 2:(Three and a half tones lower) 
          C/G                        F               C/G  
Busy goin' his own way and speakin' his own words 
                                       G 
Facin' and forgettin' every warnin' that he heard 
         C/G                            F              C/G 
Makin' friends and takin' any crazy chance he could 
                                         G                     C/G 
Gettin' busted for the bad times and believin' in the good 
          F                           C/G 
Billy took a beatin' from a world he meant no harm 
                                       G  
The score was written in the scars up on his arm 
              C/G                      F                  C/G    
Some felt he was payin' for the life he tried to lead 
                                           G                C/G 
But all we felt was sorry for our good friend Billy Dee 

Verse 3:(Four and a half tones higher) 
            A                           D             A  
It may be his soul bigger than a body's oughta be 
                                                    E 
Singin' songs and bringin' laughter to the likes of you and me 
           A                                     D                  A   
Cause the world he saw was sadder than the one he hoped to find 
                                          E                 A 
But it wasn't near as lonesome as the one he left behind 
             D                           A 
Yesterday they found him on the floor of his hotel 
                                              E 
Reachin' towards the needle,Lord,that drove him down to hell 
              A                         D               A    
Some folks called it suicide,others blame the speed 
                                          E             A 
But we all called it crucified when Billy Dee O.D.'d