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Robert Earl Keen - Billy Gray Chords

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Billy Gray Chords

(ver. 1)
Robert Earl Keen
[Intro]

Note: use this picking pattern for each chord throughout

   D          G          D          A*         G          D          A          D          D*
   v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v
e|-2--2---2-|-3--3---3-|-2--2-----|-------0--|-3--3-----|-2--2-----|----0-----|-2--2-----|-3--2-----|
B|------3---|------0---|------3---|-3--2-----|------0---|------3---|-2----2---|------3---|------3---|
G|---2---2--|---0---0--|---2---2--|---2------|---0---0--|---2---2--|-------2--|---2---2--|---2---2--|
D|-0--------|----------|-0--------|------2---|----------|-0--------|---2------|-0--------|-0--------|
A|----------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|
E|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|----------|----------|

[Verse 1]
      D               G       D       A*
Billy Gray rode in to Gantry, back in eighty-three 
G            D          D     A*      A
There he did meet young Sarah McCray
D                 G             D           A*
That wild rose of morning, that pale flower dawning,
G         D             A                   D     D*
Herald of springtime in his young life that day.

[Verse 2]
D               G           D             A*
Sarah she could not see the daylight of reality,
G               D          D          A*     A
   In her young eyes Billy bore not a flaw.
D               G          D     A*
Knowing not her chosen one was a hired gun,
G         D      A           D      D*
Wanted in Kansas City by the law.

[Instrumental]

   D          G          D          A*         G          D          A          D          D*
   v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v
e|-2--2---2-|-3--3---3-|-2--2-----|-------0--|-3--3-----|-2--2-----|----0-----|-2--2-----|-3--2-----|
B|------3---|------0---|------3---|-3--2-----|------0---|------3---|-2----2---|------3---|------3---|
G|---2---2--|---0---0--|---2---2--|---2------|---0---0--|---2---2--|-------2--|---2---2--|---2---2--|  x2
D|-0--------|----------|-0--------|------2---|----------|-0--------|---2------|-0--------|-0--------|  
A|----------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|
E|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|----------|----------|


[Verse 3]
D              G              D                 A*
Then one day a tall man, came riding 'cross the bad lands,
     G          D     D          A*   A
That lie to the north of New Mexico.
       D            G          D             A*
He was overheard to say he was lookin' for Billy Grey,
G             D         A            D      D*
   A ruthless man and a dangerous outlaw.

[Verse 4]
    D                G               D         A*
The deadly news came creeping, while Billy lie sleeping,
G            D        D       A*     A
There in the Claredon Bar and Hotel.
   D               G           D            A*        
He fled toward the old church, there on the outskirts,
G             D          A           D     D*
Thinking he'd climb that old steeple bell.
  D               G            D           A*
A rifle ball came flying, face down he lay dying,
G            D           D             A      A
There in the dust of the road where he fell.
D             G       D           A* 
Sarah she ran to him, cursing the lawman,
  G          D            A              D        D*
Accepting no reason, just knowing he was killed.

[Instrumental]

   D          G          D          A*         G          D          A          D          D*
   v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v    v v v v
e|-2--2---2-|-3--3---3-|-2--2-----|-------0--|-3--3-----|-2--2-----|----0-----|-2--2-----|-3--2-----|
B|------3---|------0---|------3---|-3--2-----|------0---|------3---|-2----2---|------3---|------3---|
G|---2---2--|---0---0--|---2---2--|---2------|---0---0--|---2---2--|-------2--|---2---2--|---2---2--|  x2
D|-0--------|----------|-0--------|------2---|----------|-0--------|---2------|-0--------|-0--------|
A|----------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|-0--------|----------|----------|
E|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|-3--------|----------|----------|----------|----------|


[Verse 5]
D                   G        D     A*       
Sarah lives in that same old white frame house
G                   D          D            A*  A*
Where she first met Billy some forty years ago.
    D            G           D              A*
The wild rose of morning has faded with the dawning
   G           D          A              D      D*
Of each day of sorrow the long years had sown.
D            G               D               A*
Written on a stone where the dusty winds had long blown,
G        D          D             A*    A
Eighteen words to a passing world say:
D                   G          D            A*
"True love knows no season, no rhyme nor no reason,
G          D           A               D*
Justice is cold as the Grainger county clay."

[Outro]
D                       G          D            A*
Yes, True love knows no season, no rhyme nor no reason,
G          D           A               D
Justice is cold as the Grainger county clay.
            
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