Kern River Blues
Recorded by Merle Haggard

(Half Step Down Tuning)

Intro.  (C) x 4 bars

I'm (C)leavin' town tomorrow, get my breakfast in the sky
Well, I'm (F)leavin' in the early morning, eat my breakfast in the (C)sky
Be a (G)donut on a paper, drink my coffee on the (C)fly

I'm (C)flying out on a jet plane, gonna leave this town behind
I'm (F)flying out on a jet plane, gonna leave this town be-(C)hind
They've done (G)moved the city limits out by the county (C)line

Put my (C)head up to the window, watch the city fade away
Put my (F)head close to the window, watch Oildale fade a-(C)way
Now the (G)blues back in the '30s, just like the blues to-(C)day

Solo:  |(C) |(C) |(C) |(C) |(F) |(F) |(C) |(C) |(G) |(G) |(G) |(C)

There (C)used to be a river here, runnin' deep and wide
Well, they (F)used to have Kern River, runnin' deep and (C)wide
Then some-(G)body stole the water, another politician (C)lied

When you (C)closed down all the honky tonks, the city died at night
When you (F)closed down all the honky tonks, the city died at (C)night
When it (G)hurt somebody's feelings, well, a wrong ain't never (C)right

Solo:  |(C) |(C) |(C) |(C) |(F) |(F) |(C) |(C) |(G) |(G) |(G) |(C)

Well, I'm (C)leavin' town forever, kiss an old boxcar goodbye
Well, I'm (F)leavin' town forever, kiss an old boxcar good-(C)bye
I dug my (G)blues down in the river, but the old Kern River is (C)dry

Outro.:  |(C) |(G) |(C) -----