Verse 1:
G D/F# Em C D G
I coulda been most anything I put my mind to be
A7 C G D
But a cowboy's life was the only life for me
G B7 C Am
It's a strong man's occupation ridin' herd and livin' free
Em A7
But strong men often fail
Em A7
Where shrewd men can prevail
C C/B Am Am7/G D
I'm an old man now with nothin' left to say
C C/B Am Am/G D G
But oh god how I worked my youth away
Verse 2:
G D/F# Em C D G
Well you may not recognize my face, I used to be a star
A7 C G D
A cowboy hero known both near and far
G B7 C Am
I perched upon a silver mount and sang with my guitar
Em A7 Em A7
But the studio of course, owned my saddle and my horse
C C/B Am Am7/G D
But that six-gun on the wall belongs to me
C C/B Am Am7/G D G
Oh god I can't live a memory
Verse 3:
G D/F# Em C D G
You know I'd like to put my finger on that trigger once again
A7 C G D
And point that gun at all the prideful men
G B7 C Am
All the voyeurs and the lawyers who can pull a fountain pen
Em A7
And put you where they choose
Em A7
With the language that they use
C G/B Am Am7/G D
And enslave you till you work your youth away
C C/B Am Am7/G Am7 D
Oh god how I worked my youth away
Bridge:
G Em G D
Whoopee ty yioh whoopee ty yi ay
G Em A7 D
One man's work is another man's play
C C/B Am Am7/G D G
Oh god how I worked my youth away
Verse 4:
G D/F# Em C D G
You see I always liked the notion of a cowboy fighting crime
A7 C G D
This photograph was taken in my prime
G B7 C Am
I could beat those desperados but there's no sense fightin' time
Em A7
But the singin' was a ball
Em A7
Cause I'm not musical at all
C C/B Am Am7/G D
I moved my lips to someone else's voice
Verse 1:
G D/F# Em C D G
I coulda been most anything I put my mind to be
A7 C G D
But a cowboy's life was the only life for me
G B7 C Am
It's a strong man's occupation ridin' herd and livin' free
Em A7
But strong men often fail
Em A7
Where shrewd men can prevail
C C/B Am Am7/G D
I'm an old man now with nothin' left to say
C C/B Am Am/G D G
But oh god how I worked my youth away