Merle Haggard - Hobo Bills Last Ride Chords

Hobo Bills Last Ride 
Jimmy Rodgers, Merl Haggard, & Hank Snow


INTRO : PLAY INSTRUMENTALLY 

(C) Riding on an (F) eastbound (C) freight train (F) Speeding through the (C) night

(F) Hobo Bill, a (C) railroad bum was (D7) fighting for his (G) life.


VERSE ONE /VOCALS

(C) Riding on an (F) eastbound (C) freight train....(F) Speeding through the (C) night

(F) Hobo Bill, the (C) railroad bum.... was (D7) fighting for his (G) life

And the (C) sadness (F) of his (C) eyes revealed... the (F) torture of his (C) soul

He (F) raised a weak and (C) weary hand... to (G) brush away the (C) cold


VERSE TWO /VOCALS

No (C) warm lights (F) flickered (C) around him...no (F) blankets there to (C) fold

(F) Nothing but the (C) howling wind ...and the (D7) driving rain so (G) cold

(C) When he (F) heard a (C) whistle blowing...in a  (F) dreamy kind of (C) way

The (F) hobo seemed (C) contented for...he (G) smiled there where he (C) lay

TAGG
(C) A..Ho -oh oh (G) bo-oh-oh (C) Bill


INSTRUMENTAL : PLAY  VERSE  ONE  BELOW IN  FULL
VS1
(C) Riding on an (F) eastbound (C) freight train (F) Speeding through the (C) night

(F) Hobo Bill, a (C) railroad bum was (D7) fighting for his (G) life

The (C) sadness (F) of his (C) eyes revealed the (F) torture of his (C) soul

He (F) raised a weak and (C) weary hand to (G) brush away the (C) cold


VERSE THREE

(C) Outside the (F) rain was (C) falling...on that (F) lonely boxcar (C) door

But the (F) little form of (C) Hobo Bill...lay (D7) still upon the (G) floor

While the(C) train sped(F) through the(C)darkness...and the(F) raging storm(C)outside

(F) No one knew that (C) Hobo Bill was (G) taking his last (C) ride


TAGG
(C) A..Ho -oh oh (G) bo-oh-oh (C) Bill




NOTE:
ADDED VERSE ON SOME RECORDINGS
It was (C) early (F) in the (C) morning when they (F) raised the hobo's (C) head
The (F) smile still lingered (C) on his face, but (D7) Hobo Bill was (G) dead
There (C) was no (F) mother's (C) longing to (F) soothe his weary (C) soul
For (F)  he was just a (C) railroad bum who (G) died out in the (C) cold
TAGG
(C) A..Ho -oh oh (G) bo-oh-oh (C) Bill

** original tab by Gray Fishell , reformatted for band play by Nemo