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Woodrow

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Woodrow
Tom Russell
Capo 5
[Intro]
G
[Verse]
When Cpeople twist your Gwords, Woodrow, ah, they'll Ctwist at every Emwhim
It's Gthugs that run the Cunions now and Guse your songs like Emhymns
Once, your Cmusic danced on Gwomen's thighs and the arch of a hobo's
Embrow-Dow
Aw, CMrs. Guthrie look Gwhat they done to your Cbrown-eyed Dbaby Gnow
Oh, the Ctrains leave every Gmorning, some go Ceast and some go Emwest
And the Gclacking of the Ciron is the Gsound you love the Embest
It's the Cgreat escape from Grailroad bulls and the Coney Island EmgirlDs
Aw, CMrs. Guthrie, look Gwhat we done to your Cbrown eyed Dboy with Gcurls
[Chorus]
Sing the Emtruth, scream it Gloud
Aw, CMrs. Guthrie, look Gwhat they done to your Cbrown-eyed Dbaby Gnow
[Verse]
All those Cboxcars full of GChinese junk, the Ccaboose has been junk Empiled
And we're Gall buying gCroceries now from Gmen with crooked Emsmiles
You were a Cdrunken, wild misGogyneer and your politics were EmcrudDe
As you sCat home writing Gnursery rhymes and Cdrawing Dwomen Gnude
And Call those politicians Gbreaths stink bad, be they Cleft or be they
Emright
And the Gones who play with Crhetoric are not the Gones to Emfight
Don't go Ccoming 'round here, GWoodrow, they'll stretch you from a EmropeD  
And your Ccorpse won't ever Gfind a bar where a Cman can Ddrink and Gsmoke
[Chorus]
Sing the Emtruth, sing it Gloud
Aw, CMrs. Guthrie, look Gwhat we done to your Cbrown-eyed Dbaby Gnow
[Instrumental] (Chorus)
[Verse]
CDid you hear the screGen door slCam, Ma, Woodrow'Ems gone again
He's Gwritin' obscene Cletters now, the GFeds might bring him Emin
But Cevery song he Gever wrote is hangin' on the EmbreeDze
With the lCaundry in the GGuthrie yard full of CHuntingDton's disGease
So, CWoodrow, rest in Gpeace, old pal, there ain't Cnothin' for you Emhere
We're Gin the scrub oak Ccountry now, the Gland of dread an' Emfear
And Cwhitey's in the wood pile and the Gwriting's on the EmwallD  
But your Cring of truth still Gechoes down the CGreystone Dclinic Ghall
[Chorus]
Sing the Emtruth, scream it Gloud
Aw, CMrs. Guthrie, look Gwhat they done to your Cbrown-eyed Dbaby Gnow
So Chere's to all outsiders, all the Gones who Ccould not Emfit
The Gtroubadour, the Cprisoners, the Gdrunken IndEmian
Ah, the Ccircus freaks, the wounded lovers will Gmake it through EmsomehDow
Ah, CMrs. Guthrie, we are Gridin' blind with your Cbrown eyed Dbaby Gnow
Sing the Emtruth scream it Gloud
Ah, CMrs. Guthrie, look Gwhat we done to your Cbrown-eyed Dbaby Gnow
Sing the Emtruth, scream it lGoud
Ah, CMrs. Guthrie, look wGhat we done to your Cbrown-eyed bDaby nGow

All chords in this song (4)

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Woodrow

by Tom Russell

Lyrics & chords · Original key · Capo on fret 5 (as written in this song)

Chords in this song · guitar

Woodrow

Tom Russell

Capo 5

[Intro]

[Verse]

C G C Em

When people twist your words, Woodrow, ah, they'll twist at every whim

G C G Em

It's thugs that run the unions now and use your songs like hymns

C G

Once, your music danced on women's thighs and the arch of a hobo's

Em D

brow-ow

C G C D G

Aw, Mrs. Guthrie look what they done to your brown-eyed baby now

C G C Em

Oh, the trains leave every morning, some go east and some go west

G C G Em

And the clacking of the iron is the sound you love the best

C G Em D

It's the great escape from railroad bulls and the Coney Island girls

C G C D G

Aw, Mrs. Guthrie, look what we done to your brown eyed boy with curls

[Chorus]

Em G

Sing the truth, scream it loud

C G C D G

Aw, Mrs. Guthrie, look what they done to your brown-eyed baby now

[Verse]

C G C Em

All those boxcars full of Chinese junk, the caboose has been junk piled

G C G Em

And we're all buying groceries now from men with crooked smiles

C G Em D

You were a drunken, wild misogyneer and your politics were crude

C G C D G

As you sat home writing nursery rhymes and drawing women nude

C G C

And all those politicians breaths stink bad, be they left or be they

right

G C G Em

And the ones who play with rhetoric are not the ones to fight

C G Em D

Don't go coming 'round here, Woodrow, they'll stretch you from a rope

C G C D G

And your corpse won't ever find a bar where a man can drink and smoke

[Chorus]

Em G

Sing the truth, sing it loud

C G C D G

Aw, Mrs. Guthrie, look what we done to your brown-eyed baby now

[Instrumental] (Chorus)

[Verse]

C G C Em

Did you hear the screen door slam, Ma, Woodrow's gone again

G C G Em

He's writin' obscene letters now, the Feds might bring him in

C G Em D

But every song he ever wrote is hangin' on the breeze

C G C D G

With the laundry in the Guthrie yard full of Huntington's disease

C G C Em

So, Woodrow, rest in peace, old pal, there ain't nothin' for you here

G C G Em

We're in the scrub oak country now, the land of dread an' fear

C G Em D

And whitey's in the wood pile and the writing's on the wall

C G C D G

But your ring of truth still echoes down the Greystone clinic hall

[Chorus]

Em G

Sing the truth, scream it loud

C G C D G

Aw, Mrs. Guthrie, look what they done to your brown-eyed baby now

C G C Em

So here's to all outsiders, all the ones who could not fit

G C G Em

The troubadour, the prisoners, the drunken Indian

C G Em D

Ah, the circus freaks, the wounded lovers will make it through somehow

C G C D G

Ah, Mrs. Guthrie, we are ridin' blind with your brown eyed baby now

Em G

Sing the truth scream it loud

C G C D G

Ah, Mrs. Guthrie, look what we done to your brown-eyed baby now

Em G

Sing the truth, scream it loud

C G C D G

Ah, Mrs. Guthrie, look what we done to your brown-eyed baby now

About Woodrow Chords by Tom Russell

Learn how to play Woodrow by Tom Russell with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Woodrow chords”, “Woodrow guitar chords”, or “Tom Russell Woodrow 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 Woodrow chords and for experienced players who want accurate Woodrow lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, Em, D.

FAQ — Woodrow by Tom Russell

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