Verse 1:

^EFrom Maine to San Francisco, for ye^Aars, I rode the ra^Eils ^ECoast to coast, and border to border, I've b^Aeen in about every j^Eail

^COne night around the Golden Gate, I ca^Gught a freight, and layin' in the bottom of the boxcar was a man Named Billy Jack W^Eashburn

Through the rain and the wind the train was flyin', I knew the man was layin' there dyin'

^CI had to try and save a man, with n^Gothin' but my two bare hands and I d^Did

He was just a kid Verse 2:

^ENow me and Billy Jack, we laid a^Around a few hobo camps f^Eor awhile ^E'Til Billy Jack got his strength back, and the su^Anshine gave him back his sm^Eile

^CWe decided we would leave, and h^Gead on down to New Orleans, and we d^Did

Me and the kid But things weren't like they were before, I never had a friend jumpin' from the door

^GI treated him like I was his dad, and gave him everything I had, which was n^Dothin' ^CJust the love for a friend, and a friend he was, 'til I l^Dost him

Bridge:

^BmBilly Jack Washburn w^Aas his name ^GI lost him down around Jacksonville, when he f^Dell from the train

^BmI rolled off, and I h^Ait the ground ^GI picked his body up and carried him a^Dll the way back to town

^CHe was a friend of ^Dmine

Verse 3:

^ENow here I am, in Macon, Georgia,^A to help lay Billy Jack in the g^Eround ^EAnd by the way, Macon, Georgia,^A is my homet^Eown

^CWhen I picked his billfold up, I s^Gaw a picture of his mama and her n^Dame

And I cried like a baby

^C'Cuz his mama, and my mama were the s^Dame ^GWell I haven't been home in twenty-six years, and w^Chen I do come home, it has to be li^Dke this

^GSometimes old lady fate, she d^Ceals a terrible k^Diss

Bridge 2:

^BmBilly Jack Washburn was his s^Ao-called name ^GI lost him down around Jacksonville, when he f^Dell from the train

^CBut I lost more than a f^Griend ^CI'll never see my brother a^Dgain

Johnny Paycheck - Billy jack washburn