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The Great Compromise

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[Intro]
D D
[Verse 1]
I knew a gDirl who was almost a lady
She had a Gway with all the men in her Dlife
every Ainch of her blossom in beauty
she was Gborn on the forth of JulDy
and she lDived in an aluminum house trailer
and she wGorked in a juke-box salDoon
and she sApent all the money that I'd give her
just to sGee the ol' man in the mDoon
[Chorus]
I used to Dsleep at the foot of Old Glory
and awGake in the dawns early lDight
but much Gto my surprise when I Dopened my eyes
I was a vAictim of the great compromDise
[Verse 2]
we used to Dgo out on Saturday evening
to the driGve in on route fourty Done
and it was tAhere that I first discovered
she was Gdoin' what she'd already Ddone
she said, "JDohnny won't you get me some popcorn."
and she kGnew I had to walk pretty fDar
and as sAoon as I walked through the moonlight
she'd hopped iGnto a foreign sports Dcar
[Chorus]
I used to Dsleep at the foot of Old Glory
and awGake in the dawns early lDight
but much Gto my surprise when I Dopened my eyes
I was a vAictim of the great compromDise
[Verse 3]
Well, you Dknow, I could'a beat up that fella
but it was Gher that hopped in to his caDr
and many tAimes as I'd fought to protect her
but Gthis time she'd gone too fDar
Now sDome folks call me a coward
'cause I lGeft her at the drive-in that nDight
but I'd rAather have names thrown at me
than to fGight for a thing that ain't rDight
[Chorus]
I used to Dsleep at the foot of Old Glory
and awGake in the dawns early lDight
but much Gto my surprise when I Dopened my eyes
I was a vAictim of the great compromDise
[Verse 4]
Now she wrDites all the fellas love letters
sayin' grGeetings come and see me real sDoon
and there's a grAowin' line up in the bar-room
spend a Gnight in that sick woman 's Droom
and soDmetimes I get awful lonesome
and I wiGsh she were my girl insDtead
but Ashe won't let me live with her
she mGakes me live in my hDead
[Chorus]
I used to Dsleep at the foot of Old Glory
and awGake in the dawns early lDight
but much Gto my surprise when I Dopened my eyes
I was a vAictim of the great compromDise
All chords in this song (3)

The story behind the song

"The Great Compromise" is an anti-war and protest song, capturing the disillusionment felt during the Vietnam War era. John Prine described the song as envisioning America as a woman he once loved, but who had turned her back on him, leaving him feeling lost and unable to connect with her anymore. He also characterized it as a "hate song to a woman I love," telling the story of a young man who finds America in a bar, feeling down, and takes her to the drive-in. At its heart, the song plays like a lament for a lost ideal, wrapped in a deeply personal metaphor.

AI-written from these sources:The Great Compromise (song) — Wikipedia ↗John Prine — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About The Great Compromise Chords by John Prine

Learn how to play The Great Compromise by John Prine with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Great Compromise chords”, “The Great Compromise guitar chords”, or “John Prine The Great Compromise 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 The Great Compromise chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Great Compromise lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, G, A.

FAQ — The Great Compromise by John Prine

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What key is "The Great Compromise" in?

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