Brownsville Girl
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Bob Dylan - Brownsville Girl
Knocked Out Loaded (1986)
[Intro]
D A/C# Bm E A Asus2x2
[Verse]
AWell, there was this movie I seen one tDime
ABmbout a man riding 'cross the desert and it Estarred Gregory PAeck
AHe was shot down by a hungry kid trying to make a Dname for himself
The Bmtownspeople wanted to crush that kid down and sEtring him up by the Aneck
AWell, the marshal, now he beat that kid to a bloody pDulp
BmAs the dying gunfighter lay in the sun and gEasped for his last bAreath
ATurn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and Dsquare
BmI want him to feel what it's like to every moment Eface his deaAth
AWell, I keep seeing this stuff and it just comes a-rollinDg in
BmAnd you know it blows right through me like a Eball and chaAin
AYou know I can't believe we've lived so long and are still so far Dapart
BmThe memory of you keeps callin' after me like Ea rollin' traAin
AI can still see the day that you came to me on the paintDed desert
BmIn your busted down Ford and your plEatform heelAs
AI could never figure out why you chose that particular place to mDeet
BmAh, but you were right, it was perfect as I got in Ebehind the wheeAl
AWell, we drove that car all night into San AnDton'
BmAnd we slept near the Alamo, your skin was Eso tender and sAoft
AWay down in Mexico you went out to find a doctor and you nDever came back
BmI would have gone on after you but I didn't feel like lettEing my head get bloAwn off
AWell, we're drivin' this car and the sun is comin' up over the DRockies
BmNow I know she ain't you but she's here and she's got that Edark rhythm in her Asoul
ABut I'm too over the edge and I ain't in the mood anymore to remember
the times when I was your Donly man
BmAnd she don't want to remind me, she knows this car would Ego out of contArol
[Chorus]
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
ABrownsville girl, show me all around the Dworld
BmBrownsville girl, youE're my honey lAove
[Verse]
AWell, we crossed the panhandle and then we headed towards ADmarillo
BmWe pulled up where Henry Porter used to live, he Eowned a wreckin' lot outside of town aboAut a mile
ARuby was in the backyard hanging clothes, she had her red hair tied back
She saw us come rolDling up in a trail of dust
BmShe said, Henry ain't here but you can come on in, Ehe'll be back in a little Awhile
AThen she told us how times were tough and about how she was thinkin' of
bummin' a ride back to where Ashe started
BmBut she changed the subject every time Emoney came uAp
AShe said, welcome to the land of the living dead, you could tell she was so broAken-hearted
BmShe said, even the swap meets around here are geEtting pretty coArrupt
AHow far are y'all going, Ruby asked us with a siDgh
BmWe're going all the way 'til the wheels fEall off and buArn
A'Til the sun peels the paint and the seat covers fade and the water moDccasin dies
BmRuby just smiled and said, ah, you know some Ebabies never learAn
ASomething about that movie though, well I just can't get it out oDf my head
BmBut I can't remember why I was in it or what part I wEas supposed to pAlay
AAll I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way peoplDe moved
BmAnd a lot of them seemed to be looEkin' my waAy
[Chorus]
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
ABrownsville girl, show me all around the Dworld
BmBrownsville girl, youE're my honey lAove
[Verse]
AWell, they were looking for somebody with a poDmpadour
BmI was crossin' the street when shEots rang outA
AI didn't know whether to duck or to run, so I rDan
BmWe got him cornered in the churchyard, I Eheard somebody shoAut
AWell, you saw my picture in the Corpus Christi Tribune, underneath it, it said, a man Dwith no alibi
BmYou went out on a limb to testify for me, yEou said I was with Ayou
AThen when I saw you break down in front of the judge and cry real Dtears
BmIt was the best acting I saw Eanybody doA
ANow I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass,
but sometimes you just find yourself over the Dline
BmOh if there's an original thought out there, I could uEse it right nAow
AYou know, I feel pretty good, but that ain't sayin' much, I could feel a Dwhole lot better
BmIf you were just here by my sEide to show me hoAw
AWell, I'm standin' in line in the rain to see a movie starring GregDory Peck
BmYeah, but you know it's not the one thEat I had in miAnd
AHe's got a new one out now, I don't even know what it's Dabout
BmBut I'll see him in anything so I'Ell stand in liAne
[Chorus]
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
ABrownsville girl, show me all around the Dworld
BmBrownsville girl, youE're my honey lAove
AYou know, it's funny how things never turn out the way you had 'em plaDnned
BmThe only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter is Ethat his name wasn't Henry PAorter
AAnd you know there was somethin' about you baby that I liked that was always too good Dfor this world
BmJust like you always said there was something about me yEou liked
that I left behind in the FrencAh Quarter
AStrange how people who suffer together have stronger connections than people who arDe most content
BmI don't have any regrets, they can talk about Eme plenty when I'm gonAe
AYou always said people don't do what they believe in
they just do what's most convenient, then Dthey repent
BmAnd I always said, hang on to me, baby, aEnd let's hope that the roof stayAs on
AThere was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it Dtwice
BmI don't remember who I was or wEhere I was bouAnd
AAll I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck, he wore a gun and he was shot in the Dback
BmSeems like a long time ago, long before the Estars were torn dowAn
[Chorus]
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
ABrownsville girl, show me all around the Dworld
BmBrownsville girl, youE're my honey lAove
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
ABrownsville girl, show me all around the Dworld
BmBrownsville girl, youE're my honey lAove
ABrownsville girl with your BrownsDville curls
BmTeeth like pearls shinEing like the moon aAbove
All chords in this song (6)
The story behind the song
This song features a first-person narrator speaking to an ex-lover from years past, recalling her wistfully. He muses that his current partner reminds him of this former flame, noting she has the "same dark rhythm in her soul." The narrative also weaves in descriptions of a western movie starring Gregory Peck, which the narrator saw and believes he "sat through it twice." This epic song, co-written with playwright Sam Shepard, was released on the album Knocked Out Loaded. It plays like a journey through memory, cinematic scenes, and lingering affection.
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Brownsville Girl
by Bob Dylan
Chords in this song · guitar
D
A/C#
Bm
E
A
Asus2
Bob Dylan - Brownsville Girl
Knocked Out Loaded (1986)
[Intro]
D A/C# Bm E A Asus2
x2
[Verse]
A D
Well, there was this movie I seen one time
Bm E A
About a man riding 'cross the desert and it starred Gregory Peck
A D
He was shot down by a hungry kid trying to make a name for himself
Bm E A
The townspeople wanted to crush that kid down and string him up by the neck
A D
Well, the marshal, now he beat that kid to a bloody pulp
Bm E A
As the dying gunfighter lay in the sun and gasped for his last breath
A D
Turn him loose, let him go, let him say he outdrew me fair and square
Bm E A
I want him to feel what it's like to every moment face his death
A D
Well, I keep seeing this stuff and it just comes a-rolling in
Bm E A
And you know it blows right through me like a ball and chain
A D
You know I can't believe we've lived so long and are still so far apart
Bm E A
The memory of you keeps callin' after me like a rollin' train
A D
I can still see the day that you came to me on the painted desert
Bm E A
In your busted down Ford and your platform heels
A D
I could never figure out why you chose that particular place to meet
Bm E A
Ah, but you were right, it was perfect as I got in behind the wheel
A D
Well, we drove that car all night into San Anton'
Bm E A
And we slept near the Alamo, your skin was so tender and soft
A D
Way down in Mexico you went out to find a doctor and you never came back
Bm E A
I would have gone on after you but I didn't feel like letting my head get blown off
A D
Well, we're drivin' this car and the sun is comin' up over the Rockies
Bm E A
Now I know she ain't you but she's here and she's got that dark rhythm in her soul
A
But I'm too over the edge and I ain't in the mood anymore to remember
D
the times when I was your only man
Bm E A
And she don't want to remind me, she knows this car would go out of control
[Chorus]
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
A D
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Bm E A
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
[Verse]
A D
Well, we crossed the panhandle and then we headed towards Amarillo
Bm E A
We pulled up where Henry Porter used to live, he owned a wreckin' lot outside of town about a mile
A
Ruby was in the backyard hanging clothes, she had her red hair tied back
D
She saw us come rolling up in a trail of dust
Bm E A
She said, Henry ain't here but you can come on in, he'll be back in a little while
A
Then she told us how times were tough and about how she was thinkin' of
A
bummin' a ride back to where she started
Bm E A
But she changed the subject every time money came up
A A
She said, welcome to the land of the living dead, you could tell she was so broken-hearted
Bm E A
She said, even the swap meets around here are getting pretty corrupt
A D
How far are y'all going, Ruby asked us with a sigh
Bm E A
We're going all the way 'til the wheels fall off and burn
A D
'Til the sun peels the paint and the seat covers fade and the water moccasin dies
Bm E A
Ruby just smiled and said, ah, you know some babies never learn
A D
Something about that movie though, well I just can't get it out of my head
Bm E A
But I can't remember why I was in it or what part I was supposed to play
A D
All I remember about it was Gregory Peck and the way people moved
Bm E A
And a lot of them seemed to be lookin' my way
[Chorus]
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
A D
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Bm E A
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
[Verse]
A D
Well, they were looking for somebody with a pompadour
Bm E A
I was crossin' the street when shots rang out
A D
I didn't know whether to duck or to run, so I ran
Bm E A
We got him cornered in the churchyard, I heard somebody shout
A D
Well, you saw my picture in the Corpus Christi Tribune, underneath it, it said, a man with no alibi
Bm E A
You went out on a limb to testify for me, you said I was with you
A D
Then when I saw you break down in front of the judge and cry real tears
Bm E A
It was the best acting I saw anybody do
A
Now I've always been the kind of person that doesn't like to trespass,
D
but sometimes you just find yourself over the line
Bm E A
Oh if there's an original thought out there, I could use it right now
A D
You know, I feel pretty good, but that ain't sayin' much, I could feel a whole lot better
Bm E A
If you were just here by my side to show me how
A D
Well, I'm standin' in line in the rain to see a movie starring Gregory Peck
Bm E A
Yeah, but you know it's not the one that I had in mind
A D
He's got a new one out now, I don't even know what it's about
Bm E A
But I'll see him in anything so I'll stand in line
[Chorus]
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
A D
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Bm E A
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
A D
You know, it's funny how things never turn out the way you had 'em planned
Bm E A
The only thing we knew for sure about Henry Porter is that his name wasn't Henry Porter
A D
And you know there was somethin' about you baby that I liked that was always too good for this world
Bm E
Just like you always said there was something about me you liked
A
that I left behind in the French Quarter
A D
Strange how people who suffer together have stronger connections than people who are most content
Bm E A
I don't have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I'm gone
A
You always said people don't do what they believe in
D
they just do what's most convenient, then they repent
Bm E A
And I always said, hang on to me, baby, and let's hope that the roof stays on
A D
There was a movie I seen one time, I think I sat through it twice
Bm E A
I don't remember who I was or where I was bound
A D
All I remember about it was it starred Gregory Peck, he wore a gun and he was shot in the back
Bm E A
Seems like a long time ago, long before the stars were torn down
[Chorus]
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
A D
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Bm E A
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
A D
Brownsville girl, show me all around the world
Bm E A
Brownsville girl, you're my honey love
A D
Brownsville girl with your Brownsville curls
Bm E A
Teeth like pearls shining like the moon above
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About Brownsville Girl Chords by Bob Dylan
Learn how to play Brownsville Girl by Bob Dylan with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Brownsville Girl chords”, “Brownsville Girl guitar chords”, or “Bob Dylan Brownsville Girl 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 Brownsville Girl chords and for experienced players who want accurate Brownsville Girl lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, A/C#, Bm, E, A, Asus2.
FAQ — Brownsville Girl by Bob Dylan
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