Mexicali Blues chords

Grateful Dead

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  			A                                   G    B     Em 
Layin' back in an old saloon with a peso in my hand 
A                                  D 
Watchin' flies and children on the street 
      A                                       G      B      Em 
And I catch a glimpse of black-eyed girls who giggle when I smile 
          A                                D 
There's a little boy who wants to shine my feet 

         G                    B                 Em 
And it's three days ride from Bakersfield and I don't know why I came 
  A                                D 
I guess I came to keep from payin' dues 
    G                  B            Em 
But instead I've got a bottle and a girl who's just fourteen 
      A 
And a damn good case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah 

D 
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose 
                        A 
When the devil wants to take it all away? 

Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze 
                               G(open)      A 
'Cuz thinkin' and drinkin' are all I have today. 

A                                  G       B        Em 
She said her name was Billie Jean; she was fresh in town 
  A                                 D 
I didn't know a stage line ran from hell 
        A                              G        B 
She had raven hair, a ruffled dress, a necklace made of gold 
A                                    D 
All the french perfume you'd care to smell 

    G            B               Em 
She took me up into her room and whispered in my ear 
   A                            D 
Go on my friend do anything you choose. 
        G                B             Em 
Now I'm paying for those happy hours I spent there in her arms 
       A                                    D 
With a lifetime case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah. 


D 
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose 
                        A 
When the devil wants to take it all away? 

Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze 
                               G(open)      A 
'Cuz thinkin' and drinkin' are all I have today. 


A                               G          B       Em 
Then a man rode into town; some thought he was the law 
A                               D 
Billie Jean was waiting when he came 
    A                              G      B      Em 
She told me he would take her if I didn't use my gun 
    A                             D 
And I'd have no one but myself to blame 

  G                  B              Em 
I went down to those dusty streets; blood was on my mind 
  A                                    D 
I guess that stranger hadn't heard the news. 
     G                B                    Em 
"Cuz I shot first and killed him.  Lord he didn't even draw. 
       A                                                D 
And he made me trade the gallows for the Mexicali Blues. 

D 
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose 
                     A 
When he lets a woman hold him in her hand? 

You just might find yourself out there on horseback in the dark 
                         G(open)            A 
Just ridin' and runnin' across those desert sands.