G                    Em
Cortes sailed on his boat so brave
                   Bm
It was too late to trade
                  Am7
His treasures for feathers
                       D
As he was sinking down under the waves

D7
Where his cannons won’t fire
                    G
And his flags won’t wave no more
                      Em
And those shipwrecked ghosts
              C
Floating like driftwood
                D
‘Til one bright morning
                             D7
They come washing up on your shore

[Chorus]
       G                   D
Oh now don’t tell ‘em everything thing you know
                    C
Let the whole world wonder
G                         D
When the time is right to give up the gold
C
Hold a little back for the folks back home

G
Checked out of my room
                   Em
Walked down to the Rio Grande
                      Bm
Fortune teller on the sidewalk
                Am7
Laughing at the way I talk
                     D
He drew a map upon my hand

D7                         G
Said what’s to be and what might have been
                   E
So I pulled up these chains
                         C
And set a course for the Spanish main
                        D
And I’ll be coming back someday
                       D7
Baby, but I don’t know when

[Chorus]
       G                   D
Oh now don’t tell ‘em everything you know
                    C
Let the whole world wonder
G                         D
When the time is right to give up the gold
C
Hold a little back for the folks back home

Em                       C
Empty handed ‘cept for a sidewalk rose
                   Bm
Hey mama, it ain’t easy
                              C
To keep that skillet good and greasy
                       D
A pot of coffee on the stove

[Chorus]
    G                   D
Now don’t tell ‘em everything you know
                    C
Let the whole world wonder
G                         D
When the time is right to give up the gold
C
Hold a little back for the folks back home
(Hold a little back for the folks)

[Chorus]
G                   D
Don’t tell ‘em everything you know
                    C
Let the whole world wonder
G                         D
When the time is right to give up the gold
C
Hold a little back for the folks back home