[Verse 1]
Em Am D Em
When you walk down the street, who will follow you?
Am D Em
Six o'clock, its getting late.
Am D Em
The moon it is rising as the sticky dew
C D Em
Molds on the ground by the gate.
Am D Em
With your rifle on your shoulder as you walk along
Am D Em
Listening to your boot-heels hit the sod
Am D Em
Smoking your cigar as you hum a song
C D Em
Thinking of your mother, and your God
[Chorus 1]
G Bm Em
Ah, but you're alone, Jimmy Clay
G D Em
As you smoke your cigar and earn your pay.
C D Em
And fifteen thousand soldiers are marching by your side
C D Em
Still you're alone, Jimmy Clay.
[Verse 2]
Am D Em
And remember New York town, good old New York town?
Am D Em
The friends, the drinks, the cops and all
Am D Em
And the whores who took your money when you couldn't stand
C D Em
And all the roaring nights you can't recall?
Am D Em
And remember Alice Fay, good old Alice Fay?
Am D Em
She'd been through life at least ten times around
Am D Em
And when she said she loved you, well she meant it, boy
C D Em
Remember the night you nearly drowned?
[Chorus 2]
G Bm Em
Ah, but you're alone, Jimmy Clay
G D Em
As you smoke your cigar and think of yesterday
C D Em
Well, yesterday don't matter when its gone away
C D Em
Where did it go, Jimmy Clay?
[Verse 3]
Am D Em
So as you lie there in the mud, who will talk to you?
Am D Em
Nobody, Jimmy Clay
Am D Em
For when you're gone mankind follows after you
C D Em
Doesn't it, Jimmy Clay?
Am D Em
And your face is growing moldy where they kissed your cheek
Am D Em
And said "Please die for us, Jimmy Clay"
Am D Em
And so you died a soldier and a hero's death
C D Em
Congratulations, Jimmy Clay.
[Chorus 3]
G Bm Em
Now you're alone, Jimmy Clay
G D Em
You can smoke your cigar, you've earned your pay
C D Em
And somewhere in the distance you can hear the fiddle play
C D Em
But not one note will change, Jimmy Clay.