Rodney Crowell - Riding out the storm

^CThe New York City winter comes in cold grey sheets of steel, A ^Emnumbness in his hands and feet is all that he can feel. ^FAlcohol and ^G7sterno turns a ^Cdoorway to a bed And the ghost of who he might have been lives ^Gon inside his ^Amhead.

In a ^Ccanyon made of brownstone on a sidewalk icy black He ^Emwanders nearly barefoot with his righteousness intact. A ^Fman of many ^G7mansions in a ^Ccardboard box replete, And he lies sleeping with an angel while his ^Gheart pretends to ^Ambeat.

Ah, the ^Fwind blows down on Lonely Street like an ice pick through the air Midst the ^AmSunday Times and the coffee grinds and the winos in Times Square. ^FFive flights up on Easy Street, you ^Cknow she's safe and warm, And way down low ?neath a foot of snow he's a- ^Griding out the ^Amstorm.

I ^Coffered him my winter coat, politely he refused, Like an ^Emeducated man he spoke with words I seldom use. He ^Fsaid I don't need ^G7pity, for these ^Cchoices are my own. He bowed his head just slightly and then ^Gquietly moved a ^Amlong.

Ah, the ^Fwind blows down on Lonely Street like an ice pick through the air Midst the ^AmSunday Times and the coffee grinds and the winos in Times Square. ^FFive flights up on Easy Street, you ^Cknow she's safe and warm, And way down low ?neath a foot of snow he's a- ^Griding out the ^Amstorm. F Am F Am

Well, it?s ^Cnot like he's a victim of this homeless life he stalks, Nor ^Emhelpless to get back across the fine line that he walks. ^FRiding out the ^G7storm means yester ^Cday's already spent, Tomorrow don't mean nothing, it won't ^Geven make a ^Amdent.

Ah, the ^Fwind blows down on Lonely Street like an ice pick through the air Midst the ^AmSunday Times and the coffee grinds and the winos in Times Square. ^FFive flights up on Easy Street, you ^Cknow she's safe and warm, And way down low ?neath a foot of snow he's a- ^Griding out the ^Amstorm.

^C- ^GRi^Cding out, riding out, riding out, ooo-ooo- oo^Amo. ^C- ^GRi^Cding out, riding out, riding out, ooo-ooo- oo^Amo. ^C- ^GRi^Cding out, riding out, riding out, ooo-ooo- oo^Amo. ^C- ^GRi^Cding out, riding out, riding out, ooo-ooo- oo^Amo. C G C Am C