To Beat The Devil Chords by Kris Kristofferson

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#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
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****************** TO BEAT THE DEVIL ******************

written and performed by Kris Kristofferson.


Verse 1:(spoken)
          G                              C/G                G
	It was winter time in Nashville,down on music city row
                                          D                          C/G
	And i was lookin' for a place to get myself out of the cold
                                           G             Em    C/G
	To warm the frozen feelin' that was eatin' at my soul
                                          D
	And keep the chilly wind off my guitar


Verse 2:(spoken)
          G                         C/G             G
	My thirsty wanted whisky,my hungry needed beans
                                                  D
	But it'd been of month of paydays since i've heard that eagle scream
            C/G                         G                        Em     C/G
	So with my stomach full of empty and my pockets full of dreams
                                             D
	I left my pride and stepped inside a bar


Bridge:(spoken)
         Em                                      C/G
	Actually i guess you'd could call it a Tavern...
                                                              D
	Cigarette smoke to the ceiling and stardust on the floor
                           G
	Friendly shadows


Verse 3:(spoken)
           G                                 C/G             G
	I saw that there was just one old man sittin' at the bar
                                                     D              C/G
	And in the mirror i could see him checkin' me and my guitar
                          G                       Em                   C/G
	He turned,and said "Come up here boy,and show us what you are"
                                             D
	I said "I'm dry"-and he brought me a beer


Verse 1-bis:(spoken)
            G                             C/G                   G
	He nodded at my guitar and said "It's a tough life,ain't it"
                                                D                               C/G
	I just looked at him,and he said "You ain't makin' any money,are you?"
                                            G                         Em                       C/G
	I said "You've been readin' my mail".He just smiled and said "Let me see your guitar"
          C/G                           G
	I've got something you want to hear.Then he laid it on me


Verse sang 1:
           G                                     C/G
	If you waste your time of talkin' to the people who don't listen
                 G                                    D
	To the things that you are sayin',who do you think's gonna hear
                G                                 C/G
	And if you should die explaining how the things that they complain about
              G                                     D               G
	Are things they could be changin' who do you think's gonna care
                   D                           C/G                   G
	There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind
                                                    D
	Who were crucified for what they tried to show
                   G                                   C/G                G
	And their voice's have been scattered by this world and winds of times
                                     D                G
	Cause the truth remains that no one wants to know


Verse 4:(spoken)
          G                                    C/G                G
	Well,the old man was a stranger,but i'd heard his song before
	                                        D                          C/G
	Back when failure had me locked out on the wrong side of the door
                                          G                Em   C/G
	When no one stood behind me but my shadow on the floor
                                              D
	And lonesome was more than a state of mind


Verse 2-bis:(spoken)
             G                               C/G                           G
	You see,the devil haunts a hungry man,and if you don't wanna join him
                     D       C/G
	You got to beat him
                                       G                 Em               C/G
	I ain't sayin' i beat the devil but i drank his beer for nothing
                          G
	Then i stole his song


Verse sang 2:
                 G                                C/G
	And you still can hear me singin' to the people who don't listen
                 G                              D
	To the things that i am sayin',prayin' someones gonna hear
               G                                C/G
	And i guess i'll die explainig how the things that they complain about
              G                                   D               G
	Are things they could be changin',hopin' someones gonna care
               D                            C/G              G
	I was born a lonely singer,and i'm bound to die the same
                                               D
	But i've got to feed the hunger in my soul
                  G                          C/G          G
	And if i never have a nickle i won't ever die ashamed
                                   D                 G
	Cause i don't believe that no one wants to know

Thanks to Jan Ekeland for the lyrics.
Perret Charles-Amir : perret@diva.univ-mlv.fr