THE OLD GUN

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I used to be a rough one in the days when I was young: 
I made my money quickly, and I made it with my gun. 
But now I've got a little ranch, a good wife and a son, 
And I don't like to talk too much about the things I've done. 
 
But a knock pounds on my door tonight, goes rattling through the room, 
I swing it wide and there I see the very face of doom: 
A stranger stands all sheathed in dust, eyes wild and intense, 
And says, "Strap on your guns, old man, I've come for my
revenge." 
 
I asked him who he was, he said that he remembered me. 
Then I looked at him closer, and I knew who he must be. 
Although his face was etched in chisled panes of hate and rage
and more, 
I think I recalled just where I'd seen that face before. 
 
A weary sigh escaped my chest, but take my guns I did, 
Rusty, worn, ten years unused, I'd kept them locked and hid. 
And stepped out in the dark and wind to find and face my foe 
With feet braced wide and claw-shaped hands like many years ago. 
 
His hands were fast and mine were old, his gun was oiled with
hate. 
His bullet caught me in the chest, I crashed back through the
gate. 
I could not see him but I heard him mount his horse and say: 
"You killed my father, I killed you."  And then he rode away. 
 
Then my son came over to me and he kneeled there by my side, 
And I heard him say these words to me before I died: 
"Though I'm just a boy right now, I swear as I'm your son, 
I'll shoot him down when I'm old enough to use your gun!" 

3R

Hamburg, Deutschland
November 1967

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  C                             F 
I used to be a rough one in the days when I was young: 
 
  C                            G 
I made my money quickly, and I made it with my gun. 
 
    F                              C 
But now I've got a little ranch, a good wife and a son, 
 
    C               F              G                    C      
And I don't like to talk too much about the things I've done. 

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