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Uncle Lem

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[Verse 1]
CThe ladies of the garden club say
His home is just a disgrace to the Gtown
If the Mayor wants re-elected
He'd better pass some laws and tear it Cdown
They wanna cover it with flowers
Maybe even plant some dogwood Ftrees
I Gguess that they've forgotten
When we were kids what that place used to Cbe
[Verse 2]
CI know it's just a shanty now
But Lord, that place was built with human Gtears
For it's the home of Uncle Lem
Who was born and raised and lived there ninCety years
There's not a boy in this whole town
Hasn't stopped for water at his Fwell
Or Gsat on his porch in the evenin'
And listened to the stories that he'd Ctell
[Chorus]
Oh, his Ghair was the color of a cotton field
And his Fskin was old and Cbrown
And Fhe was born in that Crundown shack
Before there was a Gtown
He Fbought that shack and a piece of earth
For the Chighest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle GLem was born'd a Cslave
[Bridge]
CThe mayor and some ladies of the garden club
Went out to tell Uncle Lem that he'd have to find a new Gplace to live
Well, they found him there in that old broken down rockin' chair
And on an old paper bag they found his Cwill
"Now I wanna leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this town
For I remember when he a little fella, he Gused to follow me around
Lord, I wish I had more to give to my friends that I love
But all I've got is this old shack and a piece of earth
CAnd I want it to go to the ladies of the garden club"
[Chorus]
Oh, his Ghair was the color of a cotton field
And his Fskin was old and Cbrown
And Fhe was born in that Crundown shack
Before there was a Gtown
He Fbought that shack and a piece of earth
For the Chighest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle GLem was born'd a Cslave

All chords in this song (3)

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Uncle Lem

by Merle Haggard

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse 1]

The ladies of the garden club say

His home is just a disgrace to the town

If the Mayor wants re-elected

He'd better pass some laws and tear it down

They wanna cover it with flowers

Maybe even plant some dogwood trees

I guess that they've forgotten

When we were kids what that place used to be

[Verse 2]

I know it's just a shanty now

But Lord, that place was built with human tears

For it's the home of Uncle Lem

Who was born and raised and lived there ninety years

There's not a boy in this whole town

Hasn't stopped for water at his well

Or sat on his porch in the evenin'

And listened to the stories that he'd tell

[Chorus]

Oh, his hair was the color of a cotton field

F C

And his skin was old and brown

F C

And he was born in that rundown shack

Before there was a town

He bought that shack and a piece of earth

For the highest price to pay

His mom was bought and sold there

G C

Uncle Lem was born'd a slave

[Bridge]

The mayor and some ladies of the garden club

Went out to tell Uncle Lem that he'd have to find a new place to live

Well, they found him there in that old broken down rockin' chair

And on an old paper bag they found his will

"Now I wanna leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this town

For I remember when he a little fella, he used to follow me around

Lord, I wish I had more to give to my friends that I love

But all I've got is this old shack and a piece of earth

And I want it to go to the ladies of the garden club"

[Chorus]

Oh, his hair was the color of a cotton field

F C

And his skin was old and brown

F C

And he was born in that rundown shack

Before there was a town

He bought that shack and a piece of earth

For the highest price to pay

His mom was bought and sold there

G C

Uncle Lem was born'd a slave

About Uncle Lem Chords by Merle Haggard

Learn how to play Uncle Lem by Merle Haggard with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Uncle Lem chords”, “Uncle Lem guitar chords”, or “Merle Haggard Uncle Lem 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 Uncle Lem chords and for experienced players who want accurate Uncle Lem lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, G, F.

FAQ — Uncle Lem by Merle Haggard

How do I play "Uncle Lem" by Merle Haggard on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Uncle Lem" by Merle Haggard on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Uncle Lem" by Merle Haggard free?

Yes. The chords for "Uncle Lem" by Merle Haggard are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Uncle Lem" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Uncle Lem" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Uncle Lem"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Uncle Lem" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Uncle Lem" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Uncle Lem" by Merle Haggard with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Merle Haggard below.

What key is "Uncle Lem" in?

The chords for "Uncle Lem" show the original chord names (including C, G, F). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.