American Flowers

	  		


Intro: 
C  C  C  C 


        C                                     C7 
I have seen American flowers all across this land 
           F                                      C 
From the banks of the Shenandoah, along the Rio Grande 
        C                                       Am 
Do not fear the winter blowing in the hearts of men 
        C             Am      F          G      C  C C C 
I have seen American flowers they will bloom again 



Verse: 
C                                                 C7 
On the Southside of Chicago, a man who’s not yet grown 
 F                                           C 
Went out for a ride but the car was not his own 
    C                                         Am 
He did not see the stop sign or the boy on a skateboard 
 F               G             C 
Now he’s lying broken on the ground 

  C                                    C7 
Nobody around he coulda, coulda drove away 
        F                                                  C 
But he pulled on over to the curb and he ran out where he lay 
          C                                                    Am 
Used his hoodie for a pillow said “little man you’re gonna be okay” 
        F              G            C 
And he waited for the ambulance to come 




C                                             C7 
I have seen American flowers all across this land 
           F                                      C 
From the banks of the Shenandoah, along the Rio Grande 
        C                                       Am 
Do not fear the winter blowing in the hearts of men 
        C             Am      F          G      C   C C C 
I have seen American flowers they will bloom again
 


Verse: 
  C                                     C7 
Tender was the night down in the Tenderloin 
       F                                       C 
In an alley off O’Farrell Street, in the neon glow 
          C                                      Am 
Well she finally caught that dragon a mile from Chinatown 
     F                  G              C 
She took her wings and eased her body down 

 C                                                   C7 
She gave a little shudder, but no pain, she felt no pain 
         F                                             C 
And she knew that she was back on home in Morgantown again 
           C                                            Am 
She could smell the lady slippers and the wild thimble weeds 
      F                  G               C 
“Mama I was just mad, I never meant to leave” 



C                                             C7 
I have seen American flowers all across this land 
           F                                      C 
From the banks of the Shenandoah, along the Rio Grande 
        C                                       Am 
Do not fear the winter blowing in the hearts of men 
        C             Am      F          G      C   C 
I have seen American flowers they will bloom again 



Verse: 
  C                                          C7 
Layin’ roof in Texas is the job for someone younger 
    F                                                   C 
And so is catching fastballs from your Grandson in the summer 
      C                                                Am 
But there you are saying “Come on kid, lemme feel that hummer” 
           F                  G       C 
With your back and hips and knees on fire 

        C                                                   C7 
And he say “Come on Grandpa, when you gonna let me throw a curve?” 
            F                                                         C 
And you’re looking back at him in the sun and you feel your heart is bursting 
        C                                           Am 
Let me keep him from himself and those that mean to hurt him 
F                G        C 
If that be your will, oh Lord 



C                                             C7 
I have seen American flowers all across this land 
           F                                      C 
From the banks of the Shenandoah, along the Rio Grande 
        C                                       Am 
Do not fear the winter blowing in the hearts of men 
        C             Am      F          G      C 
I have seen American flowers they will bloom again 


Instrumental: 
C  C7  F  C  C  Am   F G C  C C C C 


Verse: 
  C                                           C7 
Right there off the interstate in Northwest Ohio 
        F                                           C 
In the amber waves of grain and the assemblies of crows 
       C                                       Am 
There rose the two twin spires beside a golden dome 
       F                G          C 
The Islamic Mosque of Greater Toledo 

        C                                       C7 
I was flying down the highway when it caught my eye 
       F                                                  C 
I was sipping red cream soda, I was listening to Johnny Prine 
       C                                             Am 
And I saw that golden dome against a pink and purple sky 
                F              G    C 
I was singing “don’t let your baby down” 


C                                             C7 
I have seen American flowers all across this land 
           F                                      C 
From the banks of the Shenandoah, along the Rio Grande 
        C                                       Am 
Do not fear the winter blowing in the hearts of men 
        C             Am      F          G      C 
I have seen American flowers they will bloom again