San Francisco Mabel Joy

Verse 1:

A D A

His daddy was a honest man,a red dirt Georgia farmer

E

His mama lived a short life having kids and bailing hay

A D A

He had fifteen years of ache inside to wander

E A

He jumped a freight in Waycross and wound up in L.A.

Verse 2:

A D A

The cold nights had no pity on that Waycross Georgia farm boy

E

Most days he went hungry,then the summer came

A D A

He met a girl known on the strip as San Francisco Mabel Joy

E A

Destitutions child born on an L.A. street called shame

Verse 3:

D A

Growing up came quietly in the arms of Mabel Joy

E

Laughter found their mornings it brought new meaning to his life

D A

The night before she left sleep came and found that Waycross country boy

E A

With dreams of Georgia cotton and California wine

Verse 4:

D A

Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door

E

A right cross sent him reeling and put him face down on the floor

D A

Inplace of Mabel Joy he found a merchant mad marine

E

He said your Georgia neck is red,but sonny you're still green

Verse 5:

A D A

He turned twenty-one in grey rock federal prison

E

The judge had no mercy on this Waycross,Georgia boy

A D A

Staring at those four grey wall in silence,Lord he listened

E

To the midnight freight he knew could take him back to Mabel Joy

Verse 6:

D A

Sunday morning found him beneath the red light at her door

E

With a bullet in his side he cried,have you seen Mabel Joy

D A

Stunned and shaken someone said she don't live here no more

E

She left this house four years ago she was looking for

D

Some Georgia farm boy