E
T-bone Billy just a singin' the blues
D
Caught his lady with another man
A                            G
Lit up a smoke and did some talkin'
                    E
With the back of his hand....Smack!

E
She started shakin', started losing her mind
           D
But he was kicking back and playing it cool
A
Signed her walkin' papers
             G             E
Took the 5:15 to Kalamazoo

[Pre-Chorus]
A
Sing for your supper,
Em
Nobody rides for free
D                               B
Eat your heart out, I'll send it C.O.D.

[Chorus]
E              F#     G
One, two baby what you do
A
Three, four let me show you the door
G                          F#        F      Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me
E                     F#   G
Five, six take your last licks
A
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight
G                           F#       F       Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me

[Verse 2]
E                                       D
Now Billy-boy's out havin' a ball, playin' fiddle at the local bar
A                             G            E
Dark shades, cool kicks, he's Hollywood Blvd.
E
Slick Daddy and his fat cigar sayin':
D
"Sign along the dotted line!"
A
He shook his head and said:
G                                  E
"All I need is this fiddle of mine!"

[Pre-Chorus]
A
Sing for your supper,
Em
Nobody rides for free
D                                            B
Take your big time, I’ll take care of m-m-m-me!

[Chorus]
E              F#     G
One, two baby what you do
A
Three, four let me show you the door
G                          F#        F      Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me
E                     F#   G
Five, six take your last licks
A
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight
G                           F#       F       Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me

G
When trouble came knockin'
D                          E
Billy kept rockin' like this…

[Pre-Chorus]
A
Sing for your supper,
Em
Nobody rides for free
D                                            B
Take your big time, I’ll take care of m-m-m-me!

[Chorus]
E              F#     G
One, two baby what you do
A
Three, four let me show you the door
G                          F#        F      Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me
E                     F#   G
Five, six take your last licks
A
Seven, eight let me give it to you straight
G                           F#       F       Em
You're better off dead than makin' a mess of me