MEXICALI BLUES
Grateful Dead

INTRO: (A  B  C# D)  D-C#-D  D-C#-D  D-C#-D-Dsus4-D-D(open E)-D
                     D-C#-D-Dsus4-D-D(open E)-D-A
                     A7-G#7-A7  A7-G#7-A7  A7-G#7-A7-A7sus4-A7-G#7-A7
                     A7-G#7-A7-A7sus4-A7-G#7-A7-D

VERSE 1:
A                                   C    B     Em
Layin' back in an old saloon with a peso in my hand
A                                  D
Watchin' flies and children on the street
      A                                       C      B      Em
And I catch a glimpse of black-eyed girls who giggle when I smile
          A                                D
There's a little boy who wants to shine my feet
         G                    B                 Em
And it's three days ride from Bakersfield and I don't know why I came
  A                                D
I guess I came to keep from payin' dues
    G                  B            Em
But instead I've got a bottle and a girl at just fourteen
      A
And a damn good case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah

CHORUS:
D
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose
D                       A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
A 
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
     A                         G            A
'Cuz thinkin' and drinkin' are all I have today

VERSE 2:
A                                  C       B        Em
She said her name was Billie Jean, she was fresh in town
  A                                 D
I didn't know a stage line ran from hell
        A                              C        B       Em
She had raven hair, a ruffled dress, a necklace made of gold
A                                    D
All the french perfume you'd care to smell
    G            B               Em
She took me up into her room and whispered in my ear
   A                            D
Go on my friend do anything you choose
        G                B             Em
Now I'm paying for those happy hours I spent there in her arms
       A
With a lifetime case of the Mexicali Blues, yeah

CHORUS:
D
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose
D                       A
When the devil wants to take it all away?
A 
Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
     A                         G            A
'Cuz thinkin' and drinkin' are all I have today

VERSE 3:
A                               C          B       Em
Then a man rode into town, some thought he was the law
A                               D
Billie Jean was waiting when he came
    A                              C      B      Em
She told me he would take her if I didn't use my gun
    A                             D
And I'd have no one but myself to blame
  G                  B              Em
I went down to those dusty streets, blood was on my mind
  A                                    D
I guess that stranger hadn't heard the news
     G                B                    Em
"Cuz I shot first and killed him,  Lord he didn't even draw
       A                                                D
And he made me trade the gallows for the Mexicali Blues

CHORUS:
D
Is there anything a man don't stand to lose
D                    A
When he lets a woman hold him in her hand?
    A
You just might find yourself out there on horseback in the dark
     A                   G                  A
Just ridin' and runnin' across those desert sands