The Gringos Tale Chords & Lyrics - Steve Earle

[INTRO]
[G] [F] [C] [G]

[VERSE 1]

[G]Beggin' your pardon there [F]stran[C]ger
You look like you're new to this [G]town
We're a long way away from the [F]beach [C]here
You won't see many gringos [G]around
Well I come from West [F]Colo[C]rado
And I've wandered this world far and [G]wide
I've lived for some years in the [F]sha[C]dows
And my eyes are unused to this [G]light
If you buy me a strong drink of [F]whis[C]key
I will tell you the tale of my [G]life
It's long and it's sad but it [F]fits [C]me
And it may bring a tear to your [G]eye

[VERSE 2]

[G]All the men of my family were [F]soli[C]diers
The hard fightin' straight talkin' [G]kind
When my turn came all that [F]was [C]over
But I'd already made up my [G]mind
I was there when we blew though [F]Gre[C]nada
And I still have to ask myself [G]why
Then we took down that fool [F]Norie[C]ga
That's where I caught the good colonel's [G]eye
Well he asked me if I loved my [F]coun[C]try
And before I had time to [G]reply
He regaled me with tales of past [F]glor[C]ies
I believed every one of his [G]lies

[VERSE 3]

[G]So I left my old life [F]behind [C]me
Turned my back on my family and [G]friends
And I did everything that they [F]asked [C]me
And I lost some sleep now and [G]again
And I lived like a thief and [F]assas[C]sin
I smuggled their poisons some[G]times
Until I asked the wrong question in [F]pass[C]in' [G]

[VERSE 4]

[G]And the colonel himself dropped [F]the [C]dime
So if you're ever in west [G]Colorado
Tell the folks in Durango [F]good[C]bye
There's a price on my head and I can't [G]go
So I'll just wait around here '[F]til I [C]die [G]