From the fantastic Musical Memphis
The Chord placements are intentional and denote the timing of when they are played.
This song leaves room for improv and variation so have fun!
Plus, these chords are 100% correct in note and timing.
Key of C Major 4/4 time
C
When I was a young boy
E7
My daddy sat me down
F
He said "son, don’t you never go"
F C/E Dm7 C
To the dark side of town
C
I'm talking downtown Memphis
E7
See, that’s where the black folk play"
F
And I said Yes sir daddy
F C/E Dm7 C
And then I snuck down any-way
C
See never was taught to read none
E7
No never taught to write
F
The only thing my daddy taught
F C/E Dm7 C
Was white should stay with white
G7 F#7
But I heard it through the alleys
F7
It floated on the breeze
C G/B Am C/G
It burst out through the doorways
F G
And it knocked me to my knees
C F6 C
It broke down all of my sen-ses
C F C F
Yet make me feel so whole
G C G
See I was lost until I found
F C/E Dm7 C
The music of my soul
F C/E Dm7 C
The music of my soul
C
And then one day my daddy died
E7
And we laid him in his grave
F
And my mama she cried and cried and cried
F C/E Dm7 C
And prayed that he’d be saved
C
But all I felt was pity
E7
For he never understood
F
How could people be so bad
F C/E Dm7 C
Who made me feel so good
G7
It went right through my body
F#7 F7
It grabbed me by my heart
C G/B Am
It shot up from my fingertips
C/G F G
And tore me right apart
C F6 C
It broke down all my sen-ses
C F6 C G
Yet made me feel so whole
G C G
And I will love it til the day I die
F C/E Dm7 C
The music of my soul
C F C
It broke down all my senses
C F C F
Yet made me feel so whole
C F C
See I was lost until I found
C F C F
I was deaf until I heard
G C G
I’ll make this world come around to
F C/E Dm7 C
The music of my soul
F C/E Dm7 F/G C
The music of my________Soul
End with one last strum on C