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I Never Expected

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"I Never Expected" written by Shel Silverstein. Recorded by Mel Tillis and the Old Dogs 
(Mel Tillis, Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings and Jerry Reed) on the 1998 album "Old Dogs Vol. 2"
Spoken
Now friends I'd like to make...a short address,
to those who lived furious and fast.
So let me take off my coat and clear my throat,
and finish what's left in my glass
You see standing before you a barely living example
Of the wild life's (say it Mel, Say it)
(gulp) do's and don'ts
But the danger is not that the fast life's gonna kill you
The real danger is that it won't
GI nCever expected to last this long
FIt caught me completely by surpCrise
FI put aside enough to lCet me live jusA7t fine
DBut I never guessed I'd last past G49
CI thought by now my friends would be toasting my memory
FWhile the Devil was toasting my CsouL
FOh but it's just my luck, CI outlived my bA7ucks
DIt's the saddest story ever toGld
FOh, how could I Ghave got this ColdG  
CHey Mel, you should have bought a piece of the rock...Or a Fno risk retirement pClan
But Finstead I invested in aCll night bA7ars, slDow dancing ladies, faGst moving cars
CI thought by now I'd be safe resting peaceful in my grave Fdue to all the women and Csong
FSo I'd made no preparations Cfor a drawn out situatA7ion
DHow could you have been so wrong?
FI never dreamed IG'd last this loCngG  
CLive fast, die young have a good lookin' corpse
FThat's the motto we live so wCell
FSo I played it hard and high Cbut somehow I didn'A7t die
DAnd I think my corpse is gonna Glook like hell
CAnd the slight miscalculation on the date of my expiration
FLeft me singing this sad, sad sCong
FSo buddy can you spare a quarter, CI'm living longer than I ougA7hter
DHow could you have been so wrong?
FI never thought Gi'd last this lonCg
A7Pour me the metamAucl
FNever thought GI'd Last this loCng

All chords in this song (6)

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I Never Expected

by Mel Tillis

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

"I Never Expected" written by Shel Silverstein. Recorded by Mel Tillis and the Old Dogs

(Mel Tillis, Bobby Bare, Waylon Jennings and Jerry Reed) on the 1998 album "Old Dogs Vol. 2"

Spoken

Now friends I'd like to make...a short address,

to those who lived furious and fast.

So let me take off my coat and clear my throat,

and finish what's left in my glass

You see standing before you a barely living example

Of the wild life's (say it Mel, Say it)

(gulp) do's and don'ts

But the danger is not that the fast life's gonna kill you

The real danger is that it won't

G C

I never expected to last this long

F C

It caught me completely by surprise

F C A7

I put aside enough to let me live just fine

D G

But I never guessed I'd last past 49

I thought by now my friends would be toasting my memory

F C

While the Devil was toasting my souL

F C A7

Oh but it's just my luck, I outlived my bucks

D G

It's the saddest story ever told

F G C G

Oh, how could I have got this old

C F C

Hey Mel, you should have bought a piece of the rock...Or a no risk retirement plan

F C A7 D G

But instead I invested in all night bars, slow dancing ladies, fast moving cars

C F C

I thought by now I'd be safe resting peaceful in my grave due to all the women and song

F C A7

So I'd made no preparations for a drawn out situation

How could you have been so wrong?

F G C G

I never dreamed I'd last this long

Live fast, die young have a good lookin' corpse

F C

That's the motto we live so well

F C A7

So I played it hard and high but somehow I didn't die

D G

And I think my corpse is gonna look like hell

And the slight miscalculation on the date of my expiration

F C

Left me singing this sad, sad song

F C A7

So buddy can you spare a quarter, I'm living longer than I oughter

How could you have been so wrong?

F G C

I never thought i'd last this long

A7 A

Pour me the metamucl

F G C

Never thought I'd Last this long

About I Never Expected Chords by Mel Tillis

Learn how to play I Never Expected by Mel Tillis with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “I Never Expected chords”, “I Never Expected guitar chords”, or “Mel Tillis I Never Expected chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy I Never Expected chords and for experienced players who want accurate I Never Expected lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, F, A7, D, A.

FAQ — I Never Expected by Mel Tillis

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What key is "I Never Expected" in?

The chords for "I Never Expected" show the original chord names (including G, C, F, A7, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.