Hard Times Howard chords

[VERSE 1]
[Am]I arrived at the icehouse just before dawn
[G]South side of Chicago nineteen and Eighty One
[F]The sky was ablaze but not from the sun
[Em]But the spinnin red sirens on ambulance one

[VERSE 2]
[Am]Steam blew from his mouth as the medic explained
[G]"a body in a dumpster but we don’t have a name
[F]Would you kindly indulging us and see if you know
[Em]This old man cuz we’d rather not call him john doe”

[VERSE 3]
[Am]I looked down with trepidation at the freezing cold bag
[G]Attached to the zipper was the empty name tag
[F]And as he pulled down I could clearly make out
[Em]It was my old friend Hard Times I hadn’t a doubt

[CHORUS]
[C]Hard Times Howard was his name and it [G]was his claim to his fame
[F]Cataracts had taken both eyes just a f[G]ew teeth remained
[C]But he always had a story a t[G]ale he would spin
[F]And he was never ever found without his Half pint of gin

[VERSE 4]
[Am]I thought what a way for old Howard to go
[G]I’ll miss those stories that he told nice and slow
[F]But Into the meat wagon that gurney did slide
[Em]My friend Hard Times Howard frozen solid inside

[VERSE 5]
[Am]Making their way to the cook county morgue
[G]The medics warmed up with the coffee they’d poured
[F]When something occurred that to this very day
[Em]Has never since happened no never I say

[VERSE 6]
[Am]As he peered into his rear-view the driving medic informed
[G]His partner that something seemed out of the norm
[F]And though it’s not something he wanted to prove
[Em]He could swear that when he looked back he saw that bag move.

[CHORUS]

[G]They pulled that wagon over and [Am]both jumped in the back
[G]And Pulling down that zipper they both[Am] opened upon the sack
[F]Cussin’ and screamin’ and [G]thrashin’ about
[Am]It seems Hard Times Howard had[E7] thawed himself out

[VERSE 7]
[Am]They said when they found him he was frozen to touch
[G]But it was obvious that neither knew Howard that much
[F]Cuz Howard’s anti-freeze was always present within
[Em]Always keepin him warm was that half pint of gin

[CHORUS]
[C]Hard Times Howard was his name and it[G] was his claim to his fame
[F]Cataracts had taken both eyes just a[G] few teeth remained
[C]But he always had a story a[G] tale he would spin
[Am]And he was never ever more thankful for that[E7] Half pint of g[Am]in

Words and Music by Jim Jacobsen 2019