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Dirty Pennies
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1/23
Sound:
Step 1 / 23Position: 2
1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO open
Dirty Pennies
Intro:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|----------0-------------0------------0-------------|
D|-------0----0--------0----0-------0----0-----------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|----3-------------2-------------0------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------3--------------3------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------0------|
A|----0---2---3-------2--0----------2--0-------------|
E|-----------------------------3---------------------|
In a smGall town D/F#where all kEmnew all
WanCdered a peaGsant lady nobody kDnew
But her oGnly frD/F#iend was a yEmoung boy
Brought her hot tCea and lefGtover stDew
In those burGning wD/F#intry DecEmembers
He’d pick dirty penCnies up oGff the cold strDeet
And while his moGther was D/F#out Christmas shoEmpping,
He’d say, “CAmome on in, wDarm your fGeet
G D Dsus(2x) C9 D Dsus(2x)
As lGong as you sD/F#hare with me stoEmries.”
So she spCoke, “I’m a proGduct of wDar.
My moGther never D/F#knew who she couEmld be
As my faCther lay drGunk on the floDor.”
And she sGpoke of the D/F#cart that she whEmeeled
Had keys with no loCcks and guiGtars with no strDings
And a puGzzle that could nD/F#ever be finEmished
This is my hAmome, thDese broken thiGngs
Ah, but the bGoy went D/F#on to be taEmught in the schCools
To nGot talk to strD/F#angers, and G/Bdon’t feed the fC9ools
Grew olGder and fuD/F#rther and of G/Bher, foC9rgot
As she was foGrced to mDove from Bmlot to lot to C9lot
G D/F# Em C
G D/F# G/B C9(2x)
She said, “I guGess it was D/F#much in his naEmture
To becCome an enfoGrcer of lDaw.
My old friGend’s got a D/F#gun to prEmotect me
From the rCock-tossing druGnks from the bDars
Always seGemed like the D/F#sort to help otEmhers
So I’ll fiCnd him while hGe’s on the beDat
And say, remGember me, D/F#I’m the old lEmady
You’d give me peAmnnies you’d fiDnd on the stGreet.”
When she foGund him, she D/F#saw not the yEmoung boy
Who dCug for the roGots of her jDunk
She came fGace to D/F#face with a sEmtern, vacant soEmldier
GriCnnin’ and spiGnnin’ a clDub
He said, “DGon’t you D/F#know that you cEman’t be here?
You’ll hurt busCiness, and scGare away the kiDds.
Go waGnder arD/F#ound in sEmome other town
Get oAmut or I’m taDking you iGn.”
“But offGicer, I fD/F#ondly remEmember yCou,
Young bGoy who would D/F#give me the lefG/Btover sC9tew
And woGuld take me iD/F#nside to the G/Bwarm fire cC9oals.
Those hunGdreds of penDnies bought G/Bme all thC9ese clothes.
G D/F# Em C
G D/F# G/B C9(2x)
It’s agGainst the D/F#law to peEmddle
It’s agaCinst the lGaw to eDat
It’s agaGinst the D/F#law to have noEmthing more
Than the shCoes, full of hoGles, on your feDet
And now they pGut bars aD/F#cross the park beEmnches
So I guCess it’s ilGlegal to slDeep.
They buGried somD/F#ething inEmside of you, officer
Into your cAmold hearDt, dig deGep
AGnd you’lD/F#l see Emthat it’s Cme
AGnd here I’D/F#ll beG/B, nothing new to C9me.
I’ll be hearGtbroken and D/F#cold, frG/Bozen and alC9one.
My coGffin was a dumpDster and they dG/Bidn’t even kC9now.”
But while oGut on the D/F#beat, he looked dEmown to his feCet,
And he sGaw a dirty pD/F#enny hG/Beads up at his fC9eet
And it mGade him think D/F#of an old tEmall tale
Of a wAmoman who puDshed around a cGart
And the bGoy who D/F#fed her and heEmlped her
Knew he shCould have deGep in his heDart
Oh, whGere did he D/F#hear that old tEmall tale?
But hCey, what a stGory to sprDead
So he told it to his own growing boy
Once in a while before bed
Outro:
G D Dsus(2x) C9
D Dsus(2x)
All chords in this song (10)
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Dirty Pennies
by Erik Petersen
Chords in this song · guitar
G
D/F#
Em
C
D
Am
Dsus
C9
G/B
Bm
Dirty Pennies
Intro:
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|----------0-------------0------------0-------------|
D|-------0----0--------0----0-------0----0-----------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|----3-------------2-------------0------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------3--------------3------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------0------|
A|----0---2---3-------2--0----------2--0-------------|
E|-----------------------------3---------------------|
G D/F# Em
In a small town where all knew all
C G D
Wandered a peasant lady nobody knew
G D/F# Em
But her only friend was a young boy
C G D
Brought her hot tea and leftover stew
G D/F# Em
In those burning wintry Decembers
C G D
He’d pick dirty pennies up off the cold street
G D/F# Em
And while his mother was out Christmas shopping,
Am D G
He’d say, “Come on in, warm your feet
G D Dsus C9 D Dsus
(2x) (2x)
G D/F# Em
As long as you share with me stories.”
C G D
So she spoke, “I’m a product of war.
G D/F# Em
My mother never knew who she could be
C G D
As my father lay drunk on the floor.”
G D/F# Em
And she spoke of the cart that she wheeled
C G D
Had keys with no locks and guitars with no strings
G D/F# Em
And a puzzle that could never be finished
Am D G
This is my home, these broken things
G D/F# Em C
Ah, but the boy went on to be taught in the schools
G D/F# G/B C9
To not talk to strangers, and don’t feed the fools
G D/F# G/B C9
Grew older and further and of her, forgot
G D Bm C9
As she was forced to move from lot to lot to lot
G D/F# Em C
G D/F# G/B C9
(2x)
G D/F# Em
She said, “I guess it was much in his nature
C G D
To become an enforcer of law.
G D/F# Em
My old friend’s got a gun to protect me
C G D
From the rock-tossing drunks from the bars
G D/F# Em
Always seemed like the sort to help others
C G D
So I’ll find him while he’s on the beat
G D/F# Em
And say, remember me, I’m the old lady
Am D G
You’d give me pennies you’d find on the street.”
G D/F# Em
When she found him, she saw not the young boy
C G D
Who dug for the roots of her junk
G D/F# Em Em
She came face to face with a stern, vacant soldier
C G D
Grinnin’ and spinnin’ a club
G D/F# Em
He said, “Don’t you know that you can’t be here?
C G D
You’ll hurt business, and scare away the kids.
G D/F# Em
Go wander around in some other town
Am D G
Get out or I’m taking you in.”
G D/F# Em C
“But officer, I fondly remember you,
G D/F# G/B C9
Young boy who would give me the leftover stew
G D/F# G/B C9
And would take me inside to the warm fire coals.
G D G/B C9
Those hundreds of pennies bought me all these clothes.
G D/F# Em C
G D/F# G/B C9
(2x)
G D/F# Em
It’s against the law to peddle
C G D
It’s against the law to eat
G D/F# Em
It’s against the law to have nothing more
C G D
Than the shoes, full of holes, on your feet
G D/F# Em
And now they put bars across the park benches
C G D
So I guess it’s illegal to sleep.
G D/F# Em
They buried something inside of you, officer
Am D G
Into your cold heart, dig deep
G D/F# Em C
And you’ll see that it’s me
G D/F# G/B C9
And here I’ll be, nothing new to me.
G D/F# G/B C9
I’ll be heartbroken and cold, frozen and alone.
G D G/B C9
My coffin was a dumpster and they didn’t even know.”
G D/F# Em C
But while out on the beat, he looked down to his feet,
G D/F# G/B C9
And he saw a dirty penny heads up at his feet
G D/F# Em
And it made him think of an old tall tale
Am D G
Of a woman who pushed around a cart
G D/F# Em
And the boy who fed her and helped her
C G D
Knew he should have deep in his heart
G D/F# Em
Oh, where did he hear that old tall tale?
C G D
But hey, what a story to spread
So he told it to his own growing boy
Once in a while before bed
Outro:
G D Dsus C9
(2x)
D Dsus
(2x)
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About Dirty Pennies Chords by Erik Petersen
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