By Dan Bern
Transcribed by Justin

tune down 1/2 step

Dsus2: x00230
Pattern 1: G  G/F#  D  Dsus2  D     G  G/F#  D  Dsus2  D
 

Into: Play pattern 1

                   G                            Em
The day the Elvis died was like a mercy killing
    G                         D        G
America breathed  a sigh of relief
                C                                     D        G
We knew all about the drugs and the Vegas shows
                C                     G                 D
And there wasn't much of anything that looked like grief

          C                                      D                 G
And I guess he shoulda done like James Dean did
                C             G                                    G/F#    Em
Instead of putting on weight and sinking down, down, down
C                     D               G
Easier to take if he had just skidded straight
     C           G          D
To souvenir city and T-shirt town

       F                 Bb
And sometimes I wish
         D                  G
I was smarter that I am
            C              G
But I'm on my 3rd city
             C             G
And I'm on my 4th car
             C                 G
And I'm on my 5th apartment
            Em                              D
And so many of my days have sprung

                    C              G
And now it's too late to crash
C              G
Too late to burn
C                  D  G (pattern 1)
Too late to die   young

           G                                 Em
If Pete Rose had exploded like Roberto Clemente
             G                              D                  G
He'd be hanging in the Hall of Fame without fail
              C                                 D                     G
Can you name the last good film Marlon Brando made
          C                       G            D
While trying to keep his kid from going to jail
             A
And the old people
            D
On the street are telling you
A                           D
"Don't become like me"
       C                   Bm                   Bb
But every day you creep a little bit closer

          C                                       D                 G
And I guess we shoulda done like James Dean did
                C             G                                     G/F#  Em
Instead of putting on weight and sinking down, down, down
C                      D              G
Easier to take if he had just skidded straight
     C           G          D
To souvenir city and T-shirt town

        F                Bb
And sometimes I wish
         D                  G
I was smarter that I am
            C             G
But I'm on my 3rd city
             C             G
And I'm on my 4th car
             C               G
And I'm on my 5th apartment
            Em                              D
And so many of my days have sprung

                    C              G
And now it's too late to crash
C               G
Too late to burn
C                  D
Too late to die
              C             G
Now it's too late to crash
C              G
Too late to burn
C                D G (pattern 1)
To late to die   young