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The Sky Above The Mud Below by Tom Russell Band
The Sky Above The Mud Below
Am C Am
Two men rode in from the south, on a rainy autumn night
G Am
The Sky above and the mud below
C Am
They walked into the Deacon's bar, they were Mexican by sight
G Am
The sky above and the mud below
C G Dm Am
They threw a horsehair bridle down, We trade this for whiskey rounds.
C G F Am Em Em/G Am
The Deacon slams a bottle down, The two men start to drinkin'
C Am
Their hair was long and black, tied up behind their ears
G Am
The sky above and the mud below
C Am
Their faces were identical, like one man beside a mirror
G Am
The sky above and the mud below
C G Dm Am
Then someone whispered "That beats all, their wanted poster™s on the wall
C G F Am Em Em/G Am
Twin brothers name of Sandoval, horse thieves from Boquillas"
Now the bridle and the belts they wore were braided gray and black
The sky above and the mud below
The color of a roan horse once belonged to Deacon Black
The sky above and the mud below
The fastest horse for miles around, He'd been stolen from
the old fairground
A month ago outside of town. We tracked and never found him
Now the Deacon was a preacher who had fallen hard from grace
The sky above and the mud below
He owned the bar and a string of quarter horses that he'd race
The sky above and the mud below
Yea, Deacon he could drink and curse, though he still quoted sacred verse.
He was sheriff, judge; he owned the hearse, a man you did not anger.
C G
The sky above, the mud below,
D F
The wind and rain, the sleet and snow
Am G Em Em/G Am
Two horse thieves from Mexico drinkin' hard and singin'
Am C Am
One brother he spoke English, Deac inquires as to their work
G Am
The sky above and the mud below
C Am
The man says "Mister we braid horsehair bridles, ropes and quirts.
G Am
The sky above and the mud below.
C G Dm Am
Yea, that fine bridle we did make, roan horse killed by leg-bone break.
C G F Am Em Em/G Am
He's horsehair rope now; horse-meat steak, We cleaned him to the bone
Well these gentlemen they were ignorant or didn't know just where they were.
The sky above and the mud below
The Deacon's face grew darker as he measured every word.
The sky above and the mud below
"You horsehair braidin' sons of bitches stole my claim to earthly riches.
Someone go and dig a ditch, There may well be a hangin.
One brother reached inside his shirt searching for his gun.
The sky above and the mud below.
Too late, for Deac had whirled around his sawed off Remington.
The sky above and the mud below
The twins, they raised their hands and sneered, Deac was
grinnin' ear to ear.
"Court's in session, hear ye hear, Yours truly is presidin'"
Well the trial commenced and ended quick, They didn't have a hope
The sky above and the mud below
Deac says "We'll cut your hair now boys and you can braid yourselves a rope"
The sky above and the mud below
"The Old Testament, it says somewhere 'Eye for eye and hair for hair
Covet not thy neighbors mare', I believe it's Revelation."
Now the fancy horsehair bridle, it hangs on Deacon's wall
The sky above and the mud below
Next to that wanted poster of the brothers Sandoval.
The sky above and the mud below
And the twisted rope so shiny black, the artifact that broke their necks,
Their craftsmanship he did respect, ˜They shoulda stuck to braidin.'
C G D F
The sky above the mud below, the wind and rain, the sleet and snow
Am G Em Em/D
The Deacon's hearse is rollin' slow in the first blue light
Am Em Em/D Am
light of morning.
[Best played in some sort of finger style with the thumb alternating base notes and the
occasional hammer on]
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version 2
Am C Asus2
Two men rode in from the south, one rainy autumn night
G Asus2
The Sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
They walked into the Deacon's bar, they were Mexican by sight
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
They threw a horsehair bridle down, We trade this for whiskey rounds.
AM G F
The Deacon slams a bottle down,
E Asus2
The two men start to Drink in'
Am C Asus2
Their hair was long and black, tied up behind their ears
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
Their faces were identical, like a man beside a mirror
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
Then someone whispered "That beats all, their wanted posters on the wall
Am G F
Twin brothers name of Sandoval,
E Asus2
horse thieves from Boquillas"
Am C Asus2
Now the bridle and the belts they wore were braided gray and black
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
The color of a roan horse once belonged to Deacon Black
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
The fastest horse for miles around, He'd been stolen from the old fairground
Am G F
a month ago outside of town
E Asus2
We tracked and never found him
Am C Asus2
Now the Deacon was a preacher who had fallen hard from grace
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
He owned the bar and a string of quarter horses that he'd race
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
Yea, Deacon he could drink and curse, though he still quoted sacred verse
Am G F
He was sheriff, judge; he owned the hearse,
E Asus2
man you did not anger
Bridge -
C G D/F# F
The sky above, the mud below, The wind and rain, The sleet and snow
Am G F E Asus2
Two horse thieves from Mexico drinkin' hard and singin'
Am C Asus2
One brother he spoke English, Deac inquires as to their work
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
The man says "Mister we braid horsehair bridles, ropes and Quirts
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
Yea, that fine bridle we did make, A roan horse killed by leg bone break
Am G F
He's horsehair rope now; horse-meat steak,
E Asus2
We cleaned him to the bone
Am C Asus2
Well these gentlemen they were ignorant or didn't know just where they were
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
The Deacon's face grew darker as he measured every word
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
"You horsehair braidin' sons of bitches stole my claim to earthly riches.
Am G F
Someone go and dig a ditch,
E Asus2
There may well be a hangin'
Am C Asus2
One brother reached inside his shirt searching for his gun
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
Too late, for Deac had whipped around his sawed off Remington
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
The twins, they raised their hands and sneered, Deac was grinnin' ear to ear
Am G F
He says "Court's in session, hear ye hear,
E Asus2
Yours truly is presidin'"
Am C Asus2
Well the trial commenced and ended quick, They didn't have a Hope
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
Deac says "We'll cut your hair now boys and you can braid yourselves a rope"
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
The Old Testament, it says somewhere 'Eye for eye and hair for hair
Am G F
Covet not thy neighbors mare',
E Asus2
I believe it's Revelations
Am C Asus2
Now the fancy horsehair bridle, it hangs on Deacon's wall
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C Asus2
Next to that wanted poster of the brothers Sandoval
G Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am C G D/F# F
And the twisted rope so shiny black, The artifact that broke their necks
Am G F
Their craftsmanship he did respect,
E Asus2
They shoulda stuck to braidin'
C G D/F# F
The sky above, the mud below, The wind and rain, The sleet and snow
Am C F
The Deacon's hearse is rollin' slow
E Asus2 Am
in the first blue light of morning
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