These Old Bones Chords & Lyrics - Dolly Parton

These old [D]bones will tell your story, these old [A]bones will never [D]lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't [G]see with your [D]eye
These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old [A]bones, I toss and [D]roll
And it's all in where they scatter, tells you [G]what the [A]future [D]holds

Oh, she [D]lived up on the mountain eleven [A]miles or so from [D]town
With a one-eyed cat named Wink, a billy [G]goat and a blue tick [D]hound
Her graying hair was braided and [A]wrapped around her [D]head
And her dress was long and faded, and her [G]home a [A]rusty [D]shed

In a [D]little pouch of burlap tied with a [A]piece of [D]twine
There were bones all shapes and sizes, gathered [G]through the course of [D]time
She'd throw them out before you, she [A]swore that she could [D]see
The present, past and future, she could [G]ready your [A]desti- [D]ny

Every- [D]body knew about her, came to [A]get their fortune [D]read
Concerning health and wealth and power, who to [G]love and when to [D]wed
Well, I just like helpin' people, I'm just [A]glad that I could [D]help
Why, I know everybody's secrets, but I [G]keep it [A]to my- [D]self

[CHORUS]

These old [D]bones will tell your story, these old [A]bones will never [D]lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't [G]see with your [D]eye
These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old [A/E]bones, I [A]toss and [D]roll
And it's all in where they scatter, tells you [G]what the [A]future [D]holds

Some [D]called her witchy woman, some [A]said she was in- [D]sane
Some said she was a prophet, still [G]everybody [D]came
Just because a body's different, well, [A]that don't make 'em [D]mad
Well, they've crucified a many for the [G]special [A]gifts they've [D]had

I had [D]often heard about her, dreamed a- [A]bout her now and [D]then
For I, too, was clairvoyant, came a- [G]bout when I was [D]ten
I was fascinated with her, and the [A]things I'd heard a- [D]bout
And I knew some day I'd meet her, and one [G]day [A]it came a- [D]bout

Well, I [D]know'd that you 'uz a'comin', I could [A]feel it in my [D]bones
These old bones have also told me that I [G]won't be here for [D]long
Did you know that you 'uz adopted, did you [A]know you once't was [D]mine?
But the county took you from me, said [G]I wasn't [A]right in [D]mind

But I just [D]know'd I had to see you 'fore these [A]bones was laid to [D]rest
So I conjured up a message, it [G]must'a worked, I [D]guess
This gift runs in the family, I [A]know you also [D]know
And I passed this gift on to you, these old [G]bones, [A]they're just for [D]show

[CHORUS]

These old [D]bones will tell your story, these old [A]bones will never [D]lie
These old bones will tell you surely how to [G]live and when you'll [D]die
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old [A]bones I toss and [D]roll
And it's all in where they scatter tells you [G]what the [A]future [D]holds

I held her [D]hand while she was dyin' and [A]with the funeral [D]through
I headed on back up the mountain for [G]Billy, Wink and [D]Blue
And that little pouch of burlap with those [A]bones so worn and [D]old
She give me somethin' special, now [G]every [A]time I [D]throw

[CHORUS]

These old [D]bones will tell your story, these old [A]bones will never [D]lie
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't [G]see with your [D]eye
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old [A/E]bones I [A]toss and [D]roll
And it's all in how they scatter, tells you [G]what the [A]future [D]holds

(Ending chorus)
These old [D]bones, these old [A]bones, [D]these old bones, [G]these [A]old [D]bones
These old bones, these old [A]bones, [D]these old bones, [G]these old [D]bones
These old [D]bones, these old [A]bones, [D]these old bones, [G]these [A]old [D]bones
These old bones, these old [A]bones, [D]these old bones, [G]these old [D]bones
These old [D]bones, these old [A]bones, [D]these old bones, [G]these [A]old [D]bones ---

(Talking on the ending chorus)
Now I can't tell you what you want to hear, I just tell you what I see
It's these old bones a'talkin', blame it on them, don't pack it on me
It's just like that time that there boy died up at the sawmill
Well, I know'd who done it, but I never said
And I know'd when somebody is a-cheatin'
Or when somebody's baby was gonna be born dead
But unless somebody just plain out and asked me
Well, I just figured there ain't no point goin' around actin' like you know everything
Just 'cause you might
Ah, you know, girl, I want you to take these bones
'Cause I don't want no young'un of mine a'going around unprepared
You just remember that the magic is inside you
There ain't no crystal ball