Tab Realm

Dead Confederate by Jerry Joseph


                     Dead Confederate


Tuning:E A D G B E
Key:G
Capo:no capo

[Intro]
G D Em7 C
 
[Verse 1]
G                D
Alabama Alabama, heat lightning from The Nick
Em                            C
All I see is project housing, chicken bones and broken bricks
G                         D
Standing, I been standing best part of 80 years
Em                            C
with my Jim Crow benediction, ropes and hoods and local cheer
 
[Verse 2]
G                          D
Fighting, we were fighting and our namesake killed for Southern Gods
Em                    C
Dying, we were dying, Lucifer's divining rod
G                         D
Selling, we were selling, the bodies of black boys and girls
Em                        C
Yelling, we were yelling, Rebel Yell heard round the world
 
[Chorus]
D
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground
C
I ain't sorry, ain't regretting it, now they're trying to tear me down
D
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone
C
I ain't worried, I ain't sweating it, wish they'd just leave me alone
G     D        Em     C
      Alone
 
[Verse 3]
G                              D
Snowflakes, August snowflakes, falling here in Birmingham
Em                                        C
and I never claim to think too deep and I never said I understand
G                            D
Swallowing my granite pride, they haul me out to gravel pits
Em7                            C
Forget that I lived and died, smash me up to chips and bits
 
[Bridge]
G                             D
Buying selling humans was good work if you could get it
         Em7                                 C
Well the South could build great pyramids or rise up if you let it
         G                                  D
But they shine their light of righteousness upon my unclaimed darkest deeds
Em7                           C
Pulling up my withered roots, poisoning my righteous seed
G                            D
Jesus was a white man and he promised we could rule
      Em7                           C
So we burn his holy cross in honor, hang the negro and the fool
    G                       D
and Baby, I will rise again out on Highway 29
       Em7                            C
In the meantime, I'll join the Earth, bide my wicked sands of time
 
[Chorus]
D
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, 80 years I stood my ground
C
I ain't sorry, ain't regretting it, now they're trying to tear me down
D
Hey now baby I'm a dead confederate, rebel pride, a heart of stone
C
I ain't worried, I ain't sweating it, wish they'd just leave me alone
 
[Outro]
G           D                    Em          C
            Alone,  Leave me alone




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