Title: To Beat The Devil
Artist: Kris Kristofferson
Transcribed By: Brian Earl Haines
Originally from jbarton912 but fixed the chords and added the intro


A couple of years back, I come across a great and wasted friend of mine in the hallway of a 
recording studio; and while he was reciting some poetry to me that he'd written, I saw that he was 
about a step away from dyin' and I couldn't help but wonder why. And the lines of this song 
occurred to me. I'm happy to say he's no longer wasted and he's got him a good woman. And I'd like 
to dedicate this to John and June, who helped show me how to beat the devil.



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


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




Bridge:(spoken)
      Em                                     C 
  	  Actually I guess you'd call it a tavern
                              A                                D   
  	  Cigarette smoke to the ceiling and stardust on the floor
                       G
  	  Friendly shadows


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


Verse 4:(spoken)
       G                               C                            G   
  	  He nodded at my guitar and said "It's a tough life, ain't it"
                                              D                                          
  	  I just looked at him, and he said "You ain't makin' any money, are you?"
       C                             D     G                  Em          
  	  I said "You've been readin' my mail" He just smiled and said "Let me see that guitar"
   C  D                             G
  	  I've got something you oughta hear. Then he laid it on me


Verse sang 1:
              G                                C    
  	  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 thinks gonna hear
             G                                  C 
  	  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 thinks gonna care
                 D                         C                     G             
  	  There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind
                C             G                 D
  	  Who were crucified for what they tried to show
                 G                                 C                G   
  	  And their voices have been scattered by the swirlin' winds of time
                                   D                G  
  	  Cause the truth remains that no one wants to know


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

brianearlhaines  at  countrytabs.com

Verse 2-bis:(spoken)
      G                                  C    G
  	  You see, the devil haunts a hungry man
                                             D
 If you don't wanna join him you got to beat him
      C                D              G  Em                           C
  	  I ain't sayin' I beat the devil      but I drank his beer for a minute
      D            G
  	  Then I stole his song


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