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Broken Mans Lament

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4.15 votes

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[Chorus]
GI was once a broken man
I was Conce a broken fool
DLost my wife and children
To one Cbasic broken Grule
GNow I live my life in silence
Though I'm Cnot quite in a shell
I Ddrink and listen to that song
C"A Whiter Shade of GPale"
Oh, a Cwhiter shade of Gpale
[Verse 1]
GI was a good shade tree mechanic
So I Csent myself to school
They Dsmoothed out my rough edges
In my Chands they put new Gtools
GThe instructor once he told me
I could Cwork on any line
I could Dtune and make a diesel sing
CJust like Patsy GCline
Oh, Cjust like Patsy GCline
[Verse 2]
GWell, I met my wife to be
Through my Cmother's best friend's son
She'd Dbeen a barroom singer
She was as Cgood as any-Gone
GBut I asked her to stop singing
And the Cgirl she did not flinch
Next Dday she went and bought that man
A Cbrand new crescent Gwrench
Oh, a Cbrand new crescent Gwrench
[Verse 3]
GWell, we had three fine children
As Ceight years went on by
I Dlearned to supervise a line
My Cknuckles stayed bone Gdry
GBut after supper I kept hearing her
By the Ckitchen radio
Singing Dsweet but desperate harmony
A Clittle bit too Glow
Oh, a Clittle bit too Glow
[Verse 4]
GShe left three months later
I'd Cjust come home for lunch
The Dnote said "easy come, hard go
But Cstill love you Gmuch"
GShe said, "I don't know if I'll be back
Or if you'll Cwant me if I come
But Dif and when that happens, dear
You better Clet my sweet dream Grun
Oh, Clet my sweet dream Grun"
[Verse 1B]
GI was a good shade tree mechanic
So I Csent myself to school
They Dsmoothed out my rough edges
In my Chands they put new Gtools
GThe instructor once he told me
I could Cwork on any line
But now my Ddiesels aren't the only thing
That Csing like Patsy GCline
Oh, Cjust like Patsy GCline
[Chorus]
GI was once a broken man
I was Conce a broken fool
DLost my wife and children
To one Cbasic broken Grule
GNow I live my life in silence
Though I'm Cnot quite in a shell
I Ddrink and listen to that song
C"A Whiter Shade of GPale"
Oh, a Cwhiter shade of Gpale

All chords in this song (3)

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Broken Mans Lament

by Emmylou Harris

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Chorus]

I was once a broken man

I was once a broken fool

Lost my wife and children

C G

To one basic broken rule

Now I live my life in silence

Though I'm not quite in a shell

I drink and listen to that song

C G

"A Whiter Shade of Pale"

C G

Oh, a whiter shade of pale

[Verse 1]

I was a good shade tree mechanic

So I sent myself to school

They smoothed out my rough edges

C G

In my hands they put new tools

The instructor once he told me

I could work on any line

I could tune and make a diesel sing

C G

Just like Patsy Cline

C G

Oh, just like Patsy Cline

[Verse 2]

Well, I met my wife to be

Through my mother's best friend's son

She'd been a barroom singer

C G

She was as good as any-one

But I asked her to stop singing

And the girl she did not flinch

Next day she went and bought that man

C G

A brand new crescent wrench

C G

Oh, a brand new crescent wrench

[Verse 3]

Well, we had three fine children

As eight years went on by

I learned to supervise a line

C G

My knuckles stayed bone dry

But after supper I kept hearing her

By the kitchen radio

Singing sweet but desperate harmony

C G

A little bit too low

C G

Oh, a little bit too low

[Verse 4]

She left three months later

I'd just come home for lunch

The note said "easy come, hard go

C G

But still love you much"

She said, "I don't know if I'll be back

Or if you'll want me if I come

But if and when that happens, dear

C G

You better let my sweet dream run

C G

Oh, let my sweet dream run"

[Verse 1B]

I was a good shade tree mechanic

So I sent myself to school

They smoothed out my rough edges

C G

In my hands they put new tools

The instructor once he told me

I could work on any line

But now my diesels aren't the only thing

C G

That sing like Patsy Cline

C G

Oh, just like Patsy Cline

[Chorus]

I was once a broken man

I was once a broken fool

Lost my wife and children

C G

To one basic broken rule

Now I live my life in silence

Though I'm not quite in a shell

I drink and listen to that song

C G

"A Whiter Shade of Pale"

C G

Oh, a whiter shade of pale

About Broken Mans Lament Chords by Emmylou Harris

Learn how to play Broken Mans Lament by Emmylou Harris with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Broken Mans Lament chords”, “Broken Mans Lament guitar chords”, or “Emmylou Harris Broken Mans Lament 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 Broken Mans Lament chords and for experienced players who want accurate Broken Mans Lament lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, A.

FAQ — Broken Mans Lament by Emmylou Harris

How do I play "Broken Mans Lament" by Emmylou Harris on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Broken Mans Lament" by Emmylou Harris 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 "Broken Mans Lament" by Emmylou Harris free?

Yes. The chords for "Broken Mans Lament" by Emmylou Harris are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Broken Mans Lament" to a different key?

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

Can I see chord diagrams for "Broken Mans Lament"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Broken Mans Lament" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Broken Mans Lament" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Broken Mans Lament" by Emmylou Harris with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Emmylou Harris below.

What key is "Broken Mans Lament" in?

The chords for "Broken Mans Lament" show the original chord names (including G, C, D, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.