ST. JOHN THE GAMBLER
   Townes Van Zandt

capo: 4th fret

Am       Dm                        Am
Well she had twenty years when she turned to her mother
          Dm                        Am       
Sayin', "Mother I know that you'll grieve, 
          C        Dm      F            Am
but I've given my soul to St. John The Gambler
               C        Am     
Tomorrow comes time to leave.
  
          Dm                        Am
Well the hills cannot hold back my sorrow forever
 Dm                          Am    
Dead men lie deep 'round my door, 
       C       Dm            F            Am
of the only salvation that's mine for the askin'
                Em       Am
So mother think on me no more."

     Dm                            Am                  
The winter howled high 'round the mountain's breast, 
         Dm                 Am
and the cold of a thousand snows
     C       Dm      F       Am       
Lay heaped upon the forest sleep. 
      C        Am
She dressed in Calico.

       Dm               Am          
For a gambler likes his women fancy, 
 Dm             Am
fancy she would be
         C            Dm            F            Am       
And the fires of her longing would keep 'way the cold, 
                    Em        Am 
and her dress was a sight to see.


         Dm              Am              
But the road was long beneath her feet, 
     Dm                  Am
she followed her frozen breath
    C           Dm          F        Am            
In search of a certain St. John The Gambler, 
  C     Am
stumbled to her death.

         Dm                       Am                                 
And she heard his laughter right down from the mountain, 
        Dm                       Am
and it danced with her mother's tears
      C       Dm       F  Am       
To a funeral drone of Calico,  
                  Em      Am
'neath a cross of twenty years.

              Dm       F  Am         
To a funeral drone of Calico,  
                  Em     Am
'neath a cross of twenty years.