Johnny Cash - The Baron

W^Cish I had a known ya ^AmWhen you were a little ^Cyounger, ^Am'Round me you might have learned a thing or ^Ctwo

^CIf I had known ya longer ^AYou might be a little ^Cstronger ^AmMaybe you'd shoot ^Cstraighter than you d^Amo, ^{G F F}Maybe you'd shoot ^Gstraighter than you d^Co.

^AmAs he walked into the pool room, ^Dyou could tell he didn't fit, ^CIn his hand made boots, custom suit, ^Epearl handled shootin' stick. ^AmTonight there'd be a showdown, ^Dthen everyone would know ^CWho shoots the meanest game around, ^EThe Baron, or Billy Joe.^C

^AmBilly Joe was edgy, ^DAbout to lose his cool, ^CBut The Baron's hands were steady ^EAs the two began to duel. ^AmYeah, he was like a general, ^Don a battlefield of slate, And ^Che would say to Billy Joe, each ^Etime he sunk the eight:^Am

^GHe'd say: CHORUS ^CWish I had a known ya ^AmWhen you were a little ^Cyounger, ^Am'Round me you might have learned a thing or ^Ctwo ^CIf I had known ya longer

^AmYou might be a little ^Cstronger Maybe you'd shoot straighter than you do,^{B A G F}Maybe you'd shoot ^Gstraighter than you ^Cdo.

^AmNow Billy Joe was busted, ^DBut he hadn't felt the sting, ^CAnd from the far end of the table, ^EHe threw his mother's wedding ring. ^AmAnd he said, "you've won my money, ^DBut it ain't gonna do the trick. ^CI'll bet this ring on one more game ^Gagainst your fancy s^Ctick."

^AmThe Baron's eyes got foggy, ^Das the ring rolled on the felt, ^CAnd he almost doubled over ^Elike he was hit below the belt. ^AmTwenty years ago, it was the r^Ding his wife had worn, ^CAnd he didn't know before he left that a ^Gson would soon be ^Cborn.

^BbIt sounded just like thunder ^Ebwhen The Baron shot the break, ^DbBut it grew quickly quiet, as he lined up the eight. ^BbThen a warm hand touched his shoulder ^EbAnd it chilled him to the bone ^Dbwhen he turned and saw the woman who had ^Abloved him for so ^Dblong.

^BbThe game was never finished, ^EbThe eight ball never fell, ^DbThe Baron calmly picked it up and ^Fput it on a shelf. ^BbThen he placed the ring in the hands ^Ebthat held him long ago. And he ^Dbtossed that fancy shootin' stick to his ^Fson Billy Joe^{Bb Ab}And he said:

^DbWish I had a known ya ^BbWhen you were a little y^Dbounger, ^Db'Round me you might have learned a thing or two If I had known ya longer ^BbYou might be a little s^Dbtronger M^Dbaybe you'd shoot straighter than you do,^{C Bb Ab} (recitativ) ^F#Maybe you'd shoot ^Abstraighter than you ^Dbdo.