Tom Ames Prayer tab - earle steve

From: Juddy@aol.com
Subject: Steve Earle, Tom Ames Prayer.pro


Tom Ames Prayer, by Steve Earle

appears on Steve Earle, "Train a Comin" 
and Robert Earl Keen, "Gringo Honeymoon"

(G)Everyone in Nagadoches knew Tom Ames 
would come to some bad (D)end,
Cause the (Em)sheriff had caught him stealing (C)chickens and such from the
(G)time that (D)he was (G)ten.

(G)One day his daddy took a 10-dollar bill 
and he tucked it in his (D)hand,
He said (Em)I know you're headed for (C)trouble son,
 your (G)mama wouldn't (D)under(G)stand.

(G)So he took his dad's money and his brother's old bay
 and he left without a word of (D)thanks,
Fell (Em)in with this crowd in a (C)border town
 and he (G)took to (D)robbin' (G)banks.

(solo over)
Em-C-   G-   D
Em-C-   G -  D -G

(G)Outside the law his luck a-run out fast,
 a few years came and (D)went;
Til he was (Em)trapped up in an alley in (C)Abilene
 with (G)all but (D)four shells (G)spent.

(G)And he realized then that prayin' was the only thing
 he hadn't ever (D)tried;
He (Em)didn't know quite how to (C)do it
but he (G)looked up (D)to the (G)sky.

(G)He said "You don't owe me nothin and as far as I know, Lord
I don't owe nothin' to (D)you
(Em)I ain't askin for a (C)miracle Lord
a (G)little bit of (D)luck will (G)do.

(G)You know I ain't never prayed before
cause it always seemed to (D)me
that (Em)prayin was just like (C)beggin'
and I (G)don't take (D)chari(G)ty.

break:

Em-C-G-D
Em-C G-D-G

(G)Lord, I've had some breaks in my life
as you already (D)know
I've (Em)had some help from the good lord and the (C)devil himself's
been (G)strictly (D)touch and (G)go. 

(G)Right here now with my back to the wall
I can't help but re(D)call
how they (Em)nearly hung me for (C)stealin' a horse
in (G)Ft. (D)Smith, (G)Arkansas

(G)Judge Parker said guilty and his gavel came down
just like a cannon (D)shot
I (Em)went away (C)quietly
I beg(G)an to (D)file and (G)plot.

(G)They sent that old preacher down to my cell
he said, "the lord is your only (D)hope,
(Em)he'll be the only friend you (C)have, son
when you (G)hit the (D)end of Parker's (G)rope."

(G)Well, I guess he could've kept on preachin' til Christmas
but he turned his back on (D)me
(Em)I put a homemade blade to that (C)golden throat 
and asked the (G)deputy (D)for the (G)key.

(G)Ah, but who in the hell am I talkin to?
there ain't no one here but (D)me
(single strum each chord)
(Em)So he cocked both his pistols, (C)spit in the dirt,
and (G)walked in(D)to that (G)street.

(break and end.)

juddy@aol.com (Jud Branam)

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Video Tom Ames Prayer

Steve Earle, Tom Ames' Prayer, at the Variety April 20 2008
Tom Ames' Prayer

Steve Earle - Tom Ames' Prayer
Steve Earle performing Ton Ames' Prayer at London (Ontario) Bluesfest July 19 2009

Steve Earle "Tom Ames Prayer" Mountian Stage West Virginia
Steve Earle on Mountain Stage in Princeton West Virginia performing "Tom Ames Prayer"

Tom Ames' Prayer Justin Townes Earle does a Steve Earle song
Rare performance of a good outlaw tale .Lucky night .

Tom Ames Prayer- Steve Earl Richmond Va
Steve at the National Theater in Richmond; 6.9.09 on his TOWNES album tour. Too many good moments to share. His son Justin Townes Earle played this one at AC&T last year; already on this channel.