Standard (EADGBE)

 But I'm going to tell it again

So many other people try to tell the tale

Not one of them knows the end

.

It was a junk-house in South Carolina

Held a boy the age of ten

Along with his older brother Billy

And their mother and her boyfriend

 Who was a triple loser with some blue tattoos

 That were given to him when he was young

 And a drunk temper that was easy to lose

 And thank god he didn't own a gun

Well, Billy woke up in the back of his truck

 Took a minute to open his eyes

He took a peep into the back of the house

And found himself a big surprise

He didn't see his brother but there was his mother

With her red-headed head in her hands

 While the boyfriend had his gloves wrapped around an old

Priest trying to choke the man

( )

( F )softly

 ( ) (softly gently 2x)

Billy looked up from the window to the truck

 Threw up, and had to struggle to stand

He saw that red-necked bastard with a hammer

 Turn the priest into a shell of a man

The priest was putting up the fight of his life

But he was old and he was bound to lose

 The boyfriend hit as hard as he could

 And knocked the priest right down to his shoes

Well, now Billy knew but never actually met

 The preacher lying there in the room

He heard himself say, "That must be my daddy"

 Then he knew what he was gonna do

Billy got up enough courage, took it up

And grabbed the first blunt thing he could find

 It was a cold, glass bottle of milk

 That got delivered every morning at nine

( )

( F )

( )

( )

( Em )

Billy broke in and saw the blood on the floor, and

He turned around and put the lock on the door

He looked dead into the boyfriend's eye

 His mother was a ghost, too upset to cry, then

He took a step toward the man on the ground

From his mouth trickled out a little audible sound

He heard the boyfriend shout, "Get out!"

 And Billy said, "Not till I know what this is all about"

"Well, this preacher here was attacking your mama"

But Billy knew just who was starting the drama

So Billy took dead aim at his face

 And smashed the bottle on the man who left his dad in disgrace, and

The white milk dripped down with the blood, and the

Boyfriend fell down dead for good

 Right next to the preacher who was gasping for air

 And Billy shouted, "Daddy, why'd you have to come back here?"

His mama reached behind the sugar and honey, and

Pulled out an envelope filled with money

 "Your daddy gave us this," she collapsed in tears

 "He's been paying all the bills for years"

"Mama, let's put this body underneath the trees

and put Daddy in the truck and head to Tennessee"

Just then, his little brother came in

 Holding the milk man's hat and a bottle of gin singing,

Well now you heard another side to the story

 But you wanna know how it ends?

If you must know, the truth about the tale

Go and ask the milkman