[Verse 1]
Asus2 Em Asus2
Old man down, Way down down, down by the docks of the city.
Asus2 Em Asus2
Blind and dirty, Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee.
Em D Asus2
I got no dime but I got some time to hear his story.
[Verse 2]
Asus2 Em Asus2
My name is August West, And I love my Pearly Baker best more than my wine.
Asus2 Em Asus2
More than my wine, More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine.
[Verse 3]
Asus2 Em Asus2
Everyone said, I'd come to no good, I knew I would Pearly, believe them.
Asus2 Em Asus2
Half of my life, I spent doin' time for some other fucker's crime
Em D Asus2
The other half found me stumbling a-round drunk on Burgundy wine
[Bridge] (3/4 time)
G D G/D D A D G/D D
But I'll get back on my feet again someday,
C G C G G D Dsus4 D
The good Lord willin', if He says I may.
D Asus4 Asus4 A A Em Em A
I know that the life I'm livin's no good,
Asus4 A Asus2 A A Em
I'll get a new start, live the life I should.
[Break] (Back to 4/4 time)
Em Asus2
I'll get up and fly away, I'll get up and fly away, fly away.
[Verse 4]
Asus2 Em Asus2
Pearly's been true, True to me, true to my dyin' day he said,
Asus2 Em Asus2
I said to him, I said to him, "I'm sure she's been."
Em D Asus2
I said to him, "I'm sure she's been true to you."
[Verse 5]
Asus2 Em Asus2
I got up and wandered, Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just hang around.
Asus2 Em Asus2
I've got a girl, Named Bonnie Lee, I know that girl's been true to me.
Em D Asus2
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me.