Cocaine Blues

Johnny Cash

Written by T.J. Arnall

Key of C · Chords: I IV V

Verse 1

C
Early one morning while making the rounds
G7
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

Verse 2

I went right home and I went to bed
C
I stuck that loving 44 beneath my head

Verse 3

Got up next morning and I grabbed that gun
G7
Took a shot of cocaine and away I run

Verse 4

Made a good run but I run too slow
C
They overtook me down in Juarez Mexico

Verse 5

Late in the hot joints taking the pills
G7
In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill

Verse 6

He said Willy Lee your name is not Jack Brown
C
You're the dirty hack that shot your woman down

Verse 7

Said yes oh yes my name is Willy Lee
G7
If you've got the warrant just a-read it to me

Verse 8

Shot her down because she made me slow
C
I thought I was her daddy but she had five more

Verse 9

When I was arrested I was dressed in black
G7
They put me on a train and they took me back

Verse 10

Had no friend for to go my bail
C
They slapped my dried up carcass in that country jail

Verse 11

Early next morning bout a half past nine
G7
I spied the sheriff coming down the line

Verse 12

Talked and he coughed as he cleared his throat
C
He said come on you dirty heck into that district court

Verse 13

Into the courtroom my trial began
G7
Where I was handled by twelve honest men

Verse 14

Just before the jury started out
C
I saw the little judge commence to look about

Verse 15

In about five minutes in walked the man
G7
Holding the verdict in his right hand

Verse 16

The verdict read in the first degree
C
I hollered Lordy Lordy have a mercy on me

Verse 17

The judge he smiled as he picked up his pen
G7
99 years in the Folsom pen

Verse 18

99 years underneath that ground
C
I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down

Verse 19

F
Come on you've gotta listen unto me
G7                                        C
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be