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Intro: F G G F G
Verse:
G F G
John Oaks is in the neighborhood
G F G
Protecting all the trees
G F G
He's the master of irrigation
G F G
And he knows what he sees
Verse:
G F G
Grape farmers watering everywhere
G F G
Pipes running where they please
G F G
John sees his laws are broken
G F G
Trees drowning where they breathe
Verse:
G F G
Now John used to be a mellow man
G F G
Drinking Chai and smoking weed
G F G
Ain't no one in the county
G F G
Ever see'd whatever he see'd
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
Verse:
G F G
Old John rides in his pickup
G F G
With rakes and friends in the back
G F G
Workers he takes with him
G F G
Then he drives them all back
Verse:
G F G
To protect them from the politicians
G F G
Using them to get ahead
G F G
Preying on the people
G F G
Trying to get inside their heads
Verse:
G F G
John Oaks is really stand-up
G F G
He won't take shit lying down
G F G
He calls it like he sees it
G F G
And he puts his money down
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
Verse:
G F G
One day at the demonstration
G F G
John Oaks was standing up
G F G
He arrived there at the location
G F G
In his old pickup truck
Verse:
G F G
Took a rake in his hand
G F G
And his workers by his side
G F G
Stood there waiting for his turn
G F G
To speak and turn the tide
Verse:
G F G
When he found himself surrounded
G F G
By police everywhere
G F G
They tried to take his workers to jail
G F G
When he grabbed one by his hair
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
Verse:
G F G
Shots rang out and people yelled
G F G
As the police took control
G F G
Shot a black man right where he fell
G F G
With a sniper on the knoll
Verse:
G F G
John Oaks saw law and order
G F G
Was leading him astray
G F G
Tried to get back in his pickup
G F G
With his workers to get away
Verse:
G F G
That's when the police moved in
G F G
And stood there in his way
G F G
John started up his pickup
G F G
And that was his last day
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
Instrumental/Solo:
F G
F G
F G
F C G
Verse:
G F G
They said he had a pistol
G F G
When the old pickup backfired
G F G
And shot him there behind the wheel
G F G
And then John Oaks expired
Verse:
G F G
The workers grabbed the rakes
G F G
And that's all that I can say
G F G
They went to the cemetery
G F G
And they stay there to this day
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
John Oaks
OUTRO:
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
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John Oaks,
Written by Neil Young