A C B Em
Layin’ back in an old saloon with a peso in my hand
A D
Watchin’ flies and children on the street
A C B Em
And I catch a glimpse of black-eyed girls who giggle when I smile
A D
There’s a little boy who wants to shine my feet
G B Em
And it’s three days ride from Bakersfield and I don’t know
why I came
A D
I guess I came to keep from payin’ dues
G B Em
But instead I’ve got a bottle and a girl who’s just fourteen
A
And a damn good case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
G (open) A
‘Cuz thinkin’ and drinkin’ are all I have today.
A C B Em
She said her name was Billie Jean; she was fresh in town
A D
I didn’t know a stage line ran from hell
A C B Em
She had raven hair, a ruffled dress, a necklace made of gold
A D
All the french perfume you’d care to smell
G B Em
She took me up into her room and whispered in my ear
A D
Go on my friend do anything you choose.
G B Em
Now I’m paying for those happy hours I spent there in her arms
A D
With a lifetime case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah.
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
G (open) A
‘Cuz thinkin’ and drinkin’ are all I have today.
A G B Em
Then a man rode into town; some thought he was the law
A D
Billie Jean was waiting when he came
A G B Em
She told me he would take her if I didn’t use my gun
A D
And I’d have no one but myself to blame
G B Em
I went down to those dusty streets; blood was on my mind
A D
I guess that stranger hadn’t heard the news.
G B Em
“Cuz I shot first and killed him. Lord he didn’t even draw.
A D
And he made me trade the gallows for the Mexicali Blues.
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When he lets a woman hold him in her hand?
You just might find yourself out there on horseback in the dark
G (open) A
Just ridin’ and runnin’ across those desert sands.
Layin’ back in an old saloon with a peso in my hand
A D
Watchin’ flies and children on the street
A C B Em
And I catch a glimpse of black-eyed girls who giggle when I smile
A D
There’s a little boy who wants to shine my feet
G B Em
And it’s three days ride from Bakersfield and I don’t know
why I came
A D
I guess I came to keep from payin’ dues
G B Em
But instead I’ve got a bottle and a girl who’s just fourteen
A
And a damn good case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
G (open) A
‘Cuz thinkin’ and drinkin’ are all I have today.
A C B Em
She said her name was Billie Jean; she was fresh in town
A D
I didn’t know a stage line ran from hell
A C B Em
She had raven hair, a ruffled dress, a necklace made of gold
A D
All the french perfume you’d care to smell
G B Em
She took me up into her room and whispered in my ear
A D
Go on my friend do anything you choose.
G B Em
Now I’m paying for those happy hours I spent there in her arms
A D
With a lifetime case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah.
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
G (open) A
‘Cuz thinkin’ and drinkin’ are all I have today.
A G B Em
Then a man rode into town; some thought he was the law
A D
Billie Jean was waiting when he came
A G B Em
She told me he would take her if I didn’t use my gun
A D
And I’d have no one but myself to blame
G B Em
I went down to those dusty streets; blood was on my mind
A D
I guess that stranger hadn’t heard the news.
G B Em
“Cuz I shot first and killed him. Lord he didn’t even draw.
A D
And he made me trade the gallows for the Mexicali Blues.
D
Is there anything a man don’t stand to lose
A
When he lets a woman hold him in her hand?
You just might find yourself out there on horseback in the dark
G (open) A
Just ridin’ and runnin’ across those desert sands.
