Man From Out Of Town
Bill Morrissey
From the album "Inside"

Capo 3 - Play like G-Bm-C-G

The [G]house burned down on a stormy night 
and they [Bm]never did find out why.
I just [C]stood alone beneath the silver maple 
[Am] trying to keep my cigarettes [G]dry. 

Waiting for the firemen, 
I [Bm]couldn't save a thing,
And deep in[C]side my home above the roar of the flame
I [Am] swore I heard the telephone [G]ring.

The [G]rain let up and we worked till dawn, 
just [Bm]me and the firemen,
And when they [C]cut the power and the lines went dead, 
I [Am] never got called a[G]gain. 

The [Em]house was gone by the [Bm]break of dawn, 
the [C]air was cold and [G]grey. 
I just [G] set off down the road [Am] alone,
but it's [C]always gone that [G]way. C/G G C/G G

[G]So young, so long ago 
I [Bm]thought I heard that train,
[C]Calling out my name, 
At [Am]  least it sounded like my [G]name.

Just a boy with no direction, 
I [Bm]left my home behind,
And the [C]sky changed color 
once I [Am] crossed that town [G]line.

[G]My good friends did the best they could 
to [Bm]hold me down with them,
But I [C]took one look, and I packed my bags 
and I [Am] slipped around the [G]bend. 

The [Em]lessons came from [Bm]left and right, 
the [C]first night out I [G] found, 
The laws were not meant to protect 
the [C]man from out of [G]town.

[G]There was a cold street on the sea coast, 
I once [Bm]tried to call home.
Where the [C] church  steeples rose up 
above the [Am]  town like broken [G]bones.

Drinking whiskey with the catholic priest 
one [Bm]night in the recotory hall,
He just [C]shook his head and said
"You [Am]  never know when Jesus [G]calls."

Then his [Em]eyes got wide and he [Bm]looked around 
but he [C]just could not ex[G]plain. 
It was like he heard the sound of Jesus laugh 
the [C]way I heard that [G]train. C/G G C/G G

[G]Now the years and the faces blur, 
still I [Bm]can remember some.
There were [C]women washing windows, 
there were [Am] salesgirls chewing [G]gum.

There were curses in the shapes of old men, 
[Bm]kneeling in the pews.
There are [C]things in this life 
a man [Am] just does not get to [G]choose.

[G]So, finally I found a home 
in a [Bm]tiny mountain town,
Just a [C]simple place to keep me dry 
when the [Am] rain came pouring [G]down.

A [Em]place to sleep, the [Bm]rent was cheap, 
brick [C]walls and a new slate [G]roof. 
The landlord said "You'll be safe here. 
This [C]house is
fire[G]proof."
>
> EADGBE
>C/B=X2OO1O
>G/C=3X2O13
>
>The C-C/B-G is really like a bass run down the "A" string 5/3-5/2-[pull
>off]-6/3