C

[Verse 1]
C
Well it struck me how cold the rain was
C7                             F
but I didn't look for cover at all
       G
I just stood there face to face with my love
F                       G
watching her tear drops fall
C                                        C7
And sad as it was, her blue eyes inspired me
C7                        F
switched on a light in my mind
    G
and when she was gone, I wrote down a song
   F                   G
to claim the moment as mine

[Chorus]
    F      G         C
But Willie got there first
    F             G            C     F
put heartache and heartbreak into reverse
          G                                   G
E|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|----------------------------------0--2---0-----|
D|----------------------0----2---3---------------|
A|-----------0--2----3---------------------------|
E|---------3-------------------------------------|
  like an alchemist turning his sorrow to gold
   F                         G
E|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|--2-0--------0--------------|
D|---------3---------3--2---0-|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|
   lyrics like maps for a soul
G        F            D/F#         G
Eloquent truth  and a common man's words
  F           G    C          F
I have such a good idea for a song
   Am      G         C
But Willie got there first

[Verse 2]
C                                          C7
The phases and stages of life they've been changing
C7                      F
and I was sure changing too
G
the rivers of whiskey and Bloody Mary mornings
     F                        G
were causing my plans to fall through
C                               C7
But when I was down I met me an angel
C7                      F
flying too close to the ground
G
and we rose up together and the victory moved me
   F              G
to make a musical sound

[Chorus]
    F      G         C
But Willie got there first
    F          G          C        F
but falling in love to a beautiful verse
          G                                           G
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------|
G|-------------------------------------------0---2---0-----|
D|-------------------------------0----2---3----------------|
A|-----------------0-----2----3----------------------------|
E|---------3-----------------------------------------------|
  like the brush strokes of a renaissance master so bold
   F                             G
E|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|--2-----0--------0---------------|
D|-------------3---------3---2---0-|
A|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|
   still lifes of cold black and gold
G             F              D/F#         G
breath taking country side, landscapes of words
  F           G    C          F
I have such a good idea for a song
   Am      G         C
But Willie got there first

[Bridge]
    G                  C
The rhymes are already written
    G                      C
the rhythm laid down by the band
    A
the melodys already been brought to life
       D                   D7
by the piano players right hand
D7            C
Bobby play it pretty
C                   G
leave that harp solo in
    A
and Mickey take us, home one more time then lets
D               G
get on the road again

[Verse 3]
C                                       C7
I'm crazy for feeling so lonely with my family
C7          F
and so many friends
G
I know how it is with life as with love
    F                 G
when one ends another begins
C                        C7
to live well you must be tougher than leather
C7                      F
and tender as a babe in a manger
G
lets lift up a glass of yesterdays wine
    F                         G
and cheers to the red headed stranger

[Chorus]
      F      G         C
Cause Willie got there first
    F           G        C          F
put God and the devil into the same verse
          G                                     G
E|-------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------0---2--0-----|
D|-------------------------0---2---3---------------|
A|-------------0---2---3---------------------------|
E|--------3----------------------------------------|
  like a preacher man letting his Sermon unfold
   F                           G
E|------------------------------|
B|------------------------------|
G|----2---0-------0-------------|
D|-------------3------3---2---0-|
A|------------------------------|
E|------------------------------|
   a tune like a cure for a soul
G   F          D/F#    G
the truth in a cowboys words
  F           G    C          F
I have such a good idea for a song
   Am      G         C       F
But Willie got there first
     Am      G         C
Yeah Willie got there first