C Am F Dm (4x)


[Verse 1]

           C     
There's a greyhound bus 
             G
Leavin' the great Northwest
C
Takin' her tonight 
           G
Back down south to Texas
            F
She's been dancin' on tables

To pay rent and be able 
                               Dm
To just get by and maybe stay clean.


[Chorus]

C            Am          F       Dm
Abilene, Abilene
C            Am          F       Dm
Abilene, Abilene.



[Verse 2]

          C
Well her daddy'd get drunk
           G
Then he'd hit her hard
         C
And her mama'd lie in bed
                   G
High on pills and talkin' to God
  F
But like her beautiful tattoos

These old memories she can't lose
                       Dm
Since she ran away at fifteen.


[Chorus]

C            Am
Abilene, Abilene
F         Dm             C             Am        
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F         Dm         F   Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F          F
Forget everything
C                Am      F       Dm
Abilene.


[Verse 3]

C
Starin' out the window
       Am
At the long cold night
C
Ahead on the horizon
           Am
Is another string of bright lights
      F
She's dreamin' of a man she's goin' to meet

In a bar on an Austin street
                           Dm
Maybe this one won't be so mean.


[Chorus]

C            Am
Abilene, Abilene
F         Dm             C             Am        
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F         Dm         F   Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F          F
Forget everything
C                Am      F       Dm
Abilene.


[Bridge]

Am       C       F       Dm (3x) 
(Slowing) Dm     F       Am      C


[Verse 4]

     C               Am
In a Texas bar there's a man sittin' alone
 C                               Am
Thinkin' of a girl he swore he'd wait there for
         F
But he's drinkin' beers and he's feelin' old

Rememberin' every lie he's told
                                Am
'Til he changes his mind and he leaves.


[Chorus]

C           Am
Abilene, Abilene
F         Dm             C             Am        
There's a town ahead that you've never seen
F         Dm         F   Dm
Maybe it's better if you get off there and try to
F          F
Forget everything
C                Am      F       Dm
Abilene.


[Outro]

C                Am      F       Dm
Oh, Abilene, Abilene
C                Am      F       Dm (Repeat and fade)