Written by John Prine
Intro: Walk bass up from G to C C F G Had an apartment in the city, C F G Me and Loretta liked living there. Em F It’s been years since the kids have grown, C G Lives of their own, left us alone. C F G John and Linda live in Omaha, C F G Joey’s somewhere on the road. Em F We lost Davy in the Korean war, C G Still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.C F G Me and Loretta we don't talk much now, C F G She sits and stares at the backdoor screen. Em F All the news just repeats itself C G Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen. C F G Someday I'll go and call up Rudy, C F G We worked together at the factory. Em F What’ll I tell him if he asks, “What's new?” C G “Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do.”Bb C You know old trees just grow stronger, Bb C Old rivers grow wider every day. Em F But old people they just grow lonesome C G C Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello.”Instrumental: Same as Verse (with pedal steel guitar) C F G So if you're walking down the street sometime C F G Spot some hollow ancient eyes, Em F Please don't pass them by and stare C G Am Like you didn't care, say, “Hello in there, hello” G C Say, “Hello in there, hello”Bb C You know old trees just grow stronger, Bb C Old rivers grow wider every day. Em F But old people they just grow lonesome C G C Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello.”