Tuning: E A D G B E

These old ^Dbones will tell your story, these old ^Abones will never ^Dlie These old bones will tell you surely what you can't ^Gsee with your ^Deye These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old ^Abones, I toss and ^Droll And it's all in where they scatter, tells you ^Gwhat the ^Afuture ^Dholds

Oh, she ^Dlived up on the mountain eleven ^Amiles or so from ^Dtown With a one-eyed cat named Wink, a billy ^Ggoat and a blue tick ^Dhound Her graying hair was braided and ^Awrapped around her ^Dhead And her dress was long and faded, and her ^Ghome a ^Arusty ^Dshed

In a ^Dlittle pouch of burlap tied with a ^Apiece of ^Dtwine There were bones all shapes and sizes, gathered ^Gthrough the course of ^Dtime She'd throw them out before you, she ^Aswore that she could ^Dsee The present, past and future, she could ^Gready your ^Adesti- ^Dny

Every- ^Dbody knew about her, came to ^Aget their fortune ^Dread Concerning health and wealth and power, who to ^Glove and when to ^Dwed Well, I just like helpin' people, I'm just ^Aglad that I could ^Dhelp Why, I know everybody's secrets, but I ^Gkeep it ^Ato my- ^Dself

[Chorus]

These old ^Dbones will tell your story, these old ^Abones will never ^Dlie These old bones will tell you surely what you can't ^Gsee with your ^Deye These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old ^A/Ebones, I ^Atoss and ^Droll And it's all in where they scatter, tells you ^Gwhat the ^Afuture ^Dholds

Some ^Dcalled her witchy woman, some ^Asaid she was in- ^Dsane Some said she was a prophet, still ^Geverybody ^Dcame Just because a body's different, well, ^Athat don't make 'em ^Dmad Well, they've crucified a many for the ^Gspecial ^Agifts they've ^Dhad

I had ^Doften heard about her, dreamed a- ^About her now and ^Dthen For I, too, was clairvoyant, came a- ^Gbout when I was ^Dten I was fascinated with her, and the ^Athings I'd heard a- ^Dbout And I knew some day I'd meet her, and one ^Gday ^Ait came a- ^Dbout

Well, I ^Dknow'd that you 'uz a'comin', I could ^Afeel it in my ^Dbones These old bones have also told me that I ^Gwon't be here for ^Dlong Did you know that you 'uz adopted, did you ^Aknow you once't was ^Dmine? But the county took you from me, said ^GI wasn't ^Aright in ^Dmind

But I just ^Dknow'd I had to see you 'fore these ^Abones was laid to ^Drest So I conjured up a message, it ^Gmust'a worked, I ^Dguess This gift runs in the family, I ^Aknow you also ^Dknow And I passed this gift on to you, these old ^Gbones, ^Athey're just for ^Dshow

[Chorus]

These old ^Dbones will tell your story, these old ^Abones will never ^Dlie These old bones will tell you surely how to ^Glive and when you'll ^Ddie These old bones I shake and rattle, these old ^Abones I toss and ^Droll And it's all in where they scatter tells you ^Gwhat the ^Afuture ^Dholds

I held her ^Dhand while she was dyin' and ^Awith the funeral ^Dthrough I headed on back up the mountain for ^GBilly, Wink and ^DBlue And that little pouch of burlap with those ^Abones so worn and ^Dold She give me somethin' special, now ^Gevery ^Atime I ^Dthrow

[Chorus]

These old ^Dbones will tell your story, these old ^Abones will never ^Dlie These old bones will tell you surely what you can't ^Gsee with your ^Deye These old bones I shake and rattle, these old ^A/Ebones I ^Atoss and ^Droll And it's all in how they scatter, tells you ^Gwhat the ^Afuture ^Dholds

(Ending chorus)

These old ^Dbones, these old ^Abones, ^Dthese old bones, ^Gthese ^Aold ^Dbones These old bones, these old ^Abones, ^Dthese old bones, ^Gthese old ^Dbones These old ^Dbones, these old ^Abones, ^Dthese old bones, ^Gthese ^Aold ^Dbones These old bones, these old ^Abones, ^Dthese old bones, ^Gthese old ^Dbones These old ^Dbones, these old ^Abones, ^Dthese old bones, ^Gthese ^Aold ^Dbones ---

(Talking on the ending chorus) Now I can't tell you what you want to hear, I just tell you what I see It's these old bones a'talkin', blame it on them, don't pack it on me It's just like that time that there boy died up at the sawmill Well, I know'd who done it, but I never said And I know'd when somebody is a-cheatin' Or when somebody's baby was gonna be born dead But unless somebody just plain out and asked me Well, I just figured there ain't no point goin' around actin' like you know everything Just 'cause you might Ah, you know, girl, I want you to take these bones 'Cause I don't want no young'un of mine a'going around unprepared You just remember that the magic is inside you There ain't no crystal ball

Dolly Parton - These old bones