G5 C5 G5 D5 I was just a little boy in elementary school G5 C5 English and Math and Science class G5 D5 G5 Learning the golden rule G5 C5 I learned how to add and how to subtract G5 D5 How to multiply and divide G5 C5 I learned about bugs and I learned about plants G5 D5 G5 And I learned how to read and write G5 C5 G5 D5 But my most favorite class of all was my last class of the day G5 C5 G5 D5 G5 When my history teacher would tell us tales of old times long gone away G5 C5 G5 I was amazed at the way she knew all the people and their names and the D5 places and the dates G5 C5 G5 D5 G5 Because when I first learned about General Lee and his Thirteen rebel states. :Tabbing: G5 C5 G5 D5 G5 One day she came to school with a big brown grocery bag G5 C5 She opened it up we all helped her hold her up G5 D5 G5 This great big X-shaped flag G5 C5 G5 D5 She said "Class, now only a fool would tell you this flag is a symbol of hate G5 C5 G5 D5 It represents the men who fought and died with pride for our Confederate G5 states G5 C5 G5 D5 Your assignment tonight, I want you to write, I want you to pretend G5 C5 That one of these brave men came back to life, G5 D5 G5 What would you say to him G5 C5 G5 Well the school bell rang and I thought and I thought as the bus carried me D5 across town G5 C5 G5 D5 G5 I got out my pencil and my notebook pad and this is what I wrote down G5 I wrote G5 C5 Mr. Confederate man, G5 D5 I'd like to shake your hand G5 C5 For giving your life for Dixieland G5 D5 G5 Mr. Confederate man, The next day in history class, I put my paper on the teacher's desk Then she called me up in front of everyone, because she said she liked mine the best As I walked up to the head of the class, my teacher smiled and she nodded at me Then I saw a tear roll down her cheek as I began to read I read Mr. Confederate man, I'd like to shake your hand For giving your life for Dixieland Mr. Confederate man, Played quiet: I was at home reading through the news, just the other day When I ran across my old teacher's name and I saw that she had passed away With a bitter-sweet smile I looked up at my wall, a wrinkled paper and an old wood frame Where underneath penciled words almost faded away, she had marked a great big red A Plus Mr. Confederate man, I'd like to shake your hand For giving your life for Dixieland Mr. Confederate man, I wrote Mr. Confederate man, I'd like to shake your hand For giving your life for Dixieland Mr. Confederate man...
