What Would Willie Do
By Bruce Robison

This is not the Bob and Tom show version that you hear a lot of!
It is a different live version as I hear clapping at the end of it.


       E      E7
I was lost in trouble and strife
          A            
I heard a voice and it changed my life
E                              B
Now it's a brand new day and I ain't afraid to say
            E                E7
You're not alone when you're down and out
  A                    
I think you know who I'm talking about
       E                                  B           A          B      E 
When I don't know how I'll get through, I ask myself, what would Willie do



      E          E7
Long ago he came unto us
    A 
His words were simple but they went right through us
        E
And the whole world sang along
              B
But then they didn't want to hear his songs
       E           E7
He was gone and we thought we'd lost him 
       A 
But he just grew his hair and he moved to Austin
E
All of the people smiled
             B
They came to hear him sing from miles
           A               B
And like a miracle all the rednecks and the hippies
     C#m           B       A
From New York City down to Mississippi 
        E
Stood together and raised a brew
          B               A          B      E 
When your skies are grey, what would Willie do


              E                           E7                          
You know, sometimes I wonder when I ain't gettin' nowhere
           A
What would old Willie do when things get too much to bear
                 E
And I see him on sittin’ his lonely old bus 
                 B 
And he's got his problems just like any of us
               E                                E7
And I bet he’d just take a deep breath and he’d let em all go
A  
Then he'd take another deep breath and he’d let ‘em all go
          E                                    B
Then he'd take another deep breath...then he'd hold it
                         E                          E7
And then I bet he’d feel hungry in a way that seems strange
     A
Yes, hungry for all the things he just can't change
         E
Like the time he passed out in his own bedroom 
           B
And his ex-wife sewed him up in the sheet and she beat him with a broom
          E 
And he forgave her, and you think that's rough
         A
Then the IRS Came and they took away all of his stuff
              E 
They took his golf course and his recording studio
            B
And he just went on out and did another show
          A                  B                   
When it's all coming down on you, 
                   A             B          A       E
I think you better ask yourself, what would Willie do


           E                              E7
What would Willie do, well he'd travel so far
                   A
With nothing but a song and an old guitar
      E
And a tour bus and some semi-trucks
           B
And thirty crewman and a little bit of luck
         E                                   E7
He loves all the people, the rank and the randy
   A
If you don't believe it, take a look at the family
            E
And they'll tell you that it's true
          A               B          A      E
When your skies are gray, what would Willie do?


Key Change to F:
           F
What would Willie do, he'd take a little time
         Bb
And he’d talk to old Rooster as they drive on down the line
        F   
There's millions down that road
           C7
And with a word he's gonna lighten their load
         F
He loves all the people no matter their races
         Bb   
Hell, he even made a hit country song with Julio Iglesias
    F
And that ain't easy to do 
          C7            Bb         C7
When it's all too much, what would Willie
         C7               Bb         C7
When the game gets tough, what would Willie
          C7               Bb         C7
When they call your bluff, what would Willie do