Tom Russell - The sky above the mud below

^AmTwo men rode in ^Cfrom the south, one rainy autumn ^Asus2night The Sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThey walked into the Deac^Con's bar, they were Mexican by ^Asus2sight The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThey ^Cthrew a horsehair^G bridle down, We^D/F# trade this for ^Fwhiskey rounds. The ^AMDeacon ^Gslams a^F bottle down, ^EThe two men start to ^Asus2Drink in'

^AmTheir hair was long and ^Cblack, tied up behind their ^Asus2ears The sky a^Gbove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmTheir faces were iden^Ctical, like a man beside a m^Asus2irror The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThen som^Ceone whispered &^Gquot;That beats a^D/F#ll, their wanted pos^Fters on the wall ^AmTwin br^Gothers name of S^Fandoval, ^Ehorse thieves from ^Asus2Boquillas"

^AmNow the bridle and the^C belts they wore were braided gray and ^Asus2black The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThe color of a roan^C horse once belonged to Deacon ^Asus2Black The sky ^Gabove and the mud b^Asus2elow ^AmThe fas^Ctest horse for ^Gmiles around, He'd^D/F# been stolen from the o^Fld fairground ^Ama month^G ago outside of ^Ftown ^EWe tracked and never found^Asus2 him

^AmNow the Deacon was a ^Cpreacher who had fallen hard from grac^Asus2e The sky above^G and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmHe owned the bar and a^C string of quarter horses that he'd ^Asus2race The sky ^Gabove and the mud b^Asus2elow ^AmYea, De^Cacon he could ^Gdrink and curse, though ^D/F#he still quoted s^Facred verse ^AmHe was sheriff, ^Gjudge; he o^Fwned the hearse, ^Eman you did not ^Asus2anger

^CThe sky above, ^Gthe mud below, ^D/F#The wind and rain, ^FThe sleet and snow ^AmTwo horse ^Gthieves from^F Mexico^E drinkin' hard and sin^Asus2gin'

^AmOne brother he^C spoke English, Deac inquires as to their ^Asus2work The sky above^G and the mud be^Asus2low ^AmThe man says "Mist^Cer we braid horsehair bridles, ropes^Asus2 and Quirts The sky abo^Gve and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmYea,^C that fine bridle^G we did make, ^D/F#A roan horse killed by le^Fg bone break ^AmHe's ho^Grsehair rope now; ^Fhorse-meat steak, ^EWe cleaned him to the ^Asus2bone

^AmWell these gentlemen they were ^Cignorant or didn't know just where they^Asus2 were The sky a^Gbove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThe Deacon's face grew ^Cdarker as he measured every^Asus2 word The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^Am"^C;You horsehair brai^Gdin' sons of bit^D/F#ches stole my clai^Fm to earthly riches. ^AmSomeone^G go and^F dig a ditch, ^EThere may well be a ha^Asus2ngin'

^AmOne brother reached ^Cinside his shirt searching for hi^Asus2s gun The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmToo late, for Deac had ^Cwhipped around his sawed off Remi^Asus2ngton The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThe ^Ctwins, they raised their ^Ghands and sneered,^D/F# Deac was grinnin' ^Fear to ear He^Am says &qu^Got;Court's in sess^Fion, hear ye hear, ^EYours truly is pres^Asus2idin'"

^AmWell the trial commenced and ^Cended quick, They didn't have a ^Asus2Hope The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmDeac says "We'll cut ^Cyour hair now boys and you can braid yourselv^Asus2es a rope" The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmThe Ol^Cd Testament, ^Git says somewhere '^D/F#Eye for eye and ^Fhair for hair ^AmCovet n^Got thy n^Feighbors mare', ^EI believe it's Revel^Asus2ations

^AmNow the fancy horsehair ^Cbridle, it hangs on Deacon's^Asus2 wall The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmNext to that wanted ^Cposter of the brothers San^Asus2doval The sky ^Gabove and the mud ^Asus2below ^AmAnd the ^Ctwisted rope so ^Gshiny black, ^D/F#The artifact that ^Fbroke their necks Their ^Amcraftsma^Gnship he ^Fdid respect, ^EThey shoulda stuck to br^Asus2aidin'

^CThe sky above, ^Gthe mud below, ^D/F#The wind and rain, ^FThe sleet and snow ^AmThe Dea^Ccon's hearse is ^Frollin' slow ^Ein the first blue light of ^Asus2morning ^Am