E                                  A                 E
From Maine to San Francisco, for years, I rode the rails

E                                           A                   E
Coast to coast, and border to border, I've been in about every jail 

C                                     G
One night around the Golden Gate, I caught a freight, and layin' in the bottom of the boxcar was a man

                  E
Named Billy Jack Washburn 

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

C                                  G                                   D
I had to try and save a man, with nothin' but my two bare hands and I did


He was just a kid 


Verse 2:

E                               A                       E
Now me and Billy Jack, we laid around a few hobo camps for awhile 

E                                                A                          E
'Til Billy Jack got his strength back, and the sunshine gave him back his smile 

C                               G                                   D
We decided we would leave, and head on down to New Orleans, and we did


Me and the kid 


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

G                                                                           D
I treated him like I was his dad, and gave him everything I had, which was nothin' 

C                                                        D
Just the love for a friend, and a friend he was, 'til I lost him


Bridge: 

Bm                   A
Billy Jack Washburn was his name

G                                             D
I lost him down around Jacksonville, when he fell from the train

Bm                   A
I rolled off, and I hit the ground

G                                     D
I picked his body up and carried him all the way back to town

C                  D
He was a friend of mine 


Verse 3: 

E                                A                               E
Now here I am, in Macon, Georgia, to help lay Billy Jack in the ground

E                              A           E
And by the way, Macon, Georgia, is my hometown

C                                 G                                 D
When I picked his billfold up, I saw a picture of his mama and her name


And I cried like a baby

C                                    D
'Cuz his mama, and my mama were the same

G                                                  C                                  D                
Well I haven't been home in twenty-six years, and when I do come home, it has to be like this

G                             C                D
Sometimes old lady fate, she deals a terrible kiss 


Bridge 2: 

Bm                           A
Billy Jack Washburn was his so-called name

G                                             D
I lost him down around Jacksonville, when he fell from the train

C                       G
But I lost more than a friend

C                          D
I'll never see my brother again