Intro:  A  E  B  X 2

B                                  D
Well I was thumbing from Montgomery.  Had my guitar on my back.
E                                         B 
  When a stranger stopped beside me in an antique Cadillac.
B                              D
He was dressed like 1950 half-drunk and hollow-eyed
        E                                               B             B
He said "It's a long walk to Nashville would you like a ride, son."
B                                D
I sat down in the front seat. He turned on the radio and them
E                                             B
sad old songs comin' out of them speakers was solid country gold.
       B                                                 D
Then I noticed the stranger was ghost white pale when he asked me for a light
      E                                          B
And I knew there was somthin' strange about this ride.

         A                          E                     B      B
He said "Drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing?
         B                       B
Have you paid your dues? Can you moan the blues?
        F#
Can you bend them guitar strings?"
         A                      E                  B          B
He said "Boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?
                 A                     E                          B     A E B
'Cause if you're big star bound let me warn ya' it's a long, hard ride."


        B                                    D
Then he cried just south of Nashville and he turned that car around.
       E                                B  
He said "This is where you get off boy 'cause I'm goin' back to Alabam
B                                    D
As I stepped out of that old Cadillac I said "Mister, many thanks."
E
He said "You don't have to call me Mister, Mister.
B
The whole world called me Hank."

         A                          E                     B      B
He said "Drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing?
         B                       B
Have you paid your dues? Can you moan the blues?
        F#
Can you bend them guitar strings?"
         A                      E                  B          B
He said "Boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?
                 A                     E                          B     
'Cause if you're big star bound let me warn ya' it's a long, hard ride."

         A                          E                     B      B
He said "Drifter can you make folks cry when you play and sing?
         B                       B
Have you paid your dues? Can you moan the blues?
        F#
Can you bend them guitar strings?"
         A                      E                  B          B
He said "Boy can you make folks feel what you feel inside?
                 A                     E                          B     
'Cause if you're big star bound let me warn ya' it's a long, hard ride."
                 A                     E                          B     
'Cause if you're big star bound let me warn ya' it's a long, hard ride."