Jesus Is A Friend Of Mine Chords by Aaron Neville

[Gm] _ [F] [Eb] I used to ride down to the outlaw trail.
I even spent a little [Bb] time in jail.
I walked [Gm] up and down those mean evil [Dm] streets
through the [Eb] bowels of hell with Satan at my feet.
But Jesus [Gm] held my hand, [Bb] and he walked close by my side.
He [Gm] was always there to protect [Bb] me.
He acted [Ab] as my guide.
I went all to Jesus.
[Eb] He pulled me through.
My [G] eyes have seen the pain and sorrow that
spread out over the world.
The innocent, big, and [Bb] hopeless eyes
of helpless little boys and girls.
I've seen a struggling mother trying desperately
to feed her child.
I've seen poor [Dm] babies feel lost and [Eb] alone,
and they didn't know how to smile.
I done seen a little junkie boy hustling for his [Dm] next fix.
It's far more [Gm] serious now than it was [Dm] just kicks.
[Gm] I done been with a lonely wino.
Who knows what drove him [Eb] to skid row?
[Bb] Everyone has his or her own story.
[Gm] But will the world ever know?
[Ab] I'm in lockdown with a lonely prisoner who's
[Eb] locked up in some rotten jail.
But [Fm] no one to come and visit him.
He has no hope of [Eb] making bail.
Hey, that's some woman's [Bb] child in there,
locked down behind those bars, fighting
for his manhood and sanity.
He had his own private war.
[Gm] [Dm] Jesus pulled me from that [Eb] hellhole,
let me [Gm] stand up like a man, so I could reach back for my brother
[Bb] and lend him a helping hand.
I want to [Gm] see the world through his [Dm] eyes,
and I want the world to [Gm] see him in me.
I want to spread his holy word and kindness
wherever I might be.
[Dm] I done sat down with the best of them,
and [Gm] I done sat down with the worst.
And one [Ab] was never above the other.
To me, they both came [Eb] first.
I thank my savior Jesus for pulling me from that hell,
and fill my eyes with so much wisdom
that now [Bb] my tongue may tell.
The world seems to have lost all of its morals.
Nothing seems sacred anymore.
Birds, the flowers, love, and marriage.
Even the church has become a bore.
[Eb] Sometimes I sit and wonder [Bb] what might have become of me
if Jesus hadn't been [Bb] a friend of mine.
[Eb] I could have wound [Bb] up like some of my buddies.
He was [Eb] dead crazy at doing time.
[Bb] If I'd have been on top of the world with a number one [G] record,
and I'd have been through the soup line a few [Bb] times.
But I still don't believe I could have made it through the mills
if Jesus hadn't been a friend of [Eb] mine.
I know I [Gm] still need to drink a wine.
[F] I even know what it's like to crave a shot of dope.
[Bb] I know what it's like to be locked down in [F] prison,
in the jungle where there's no sign of hope.
[Dm] I'd have come a [Cm] long, long way.
[Bb] I'd have been down some bumpy, bumpy roads.
I'd have run across people from all walks of life,
trying to find themselves [Cm] in some kind of load.
[Bb] The [Eb] housewife swallowing the Valium,
the doctors and lawyers snorting the [Bb] Coke,
and the [Cm] cold water little junkie boy.
But no matter [A] how you spell it, it comes [Eb] out dope.
[Bb] Now, folks, I ran down my story, but I got yet to sing my song.
So [F] I sing my song for Jesus.
I find he's the only way.
So [Eb] Savior, lead me, lest I stray.
_ [Bb] _ Savior, _ [A] [Bb] lead _ _ me.
Oh, lead _ [Eb] _ [Bb] me.
Oh, [F] _ [Bb] Savior, _ [Eb] _ [Bb] [Eb] lead [Bb] me, lest [Gm] I [F] stray.
_ [Eb] _ _ [F] Oh, [Eb] gently, [Bb] _ gently, [Cm] sit me [Bb] down [Cm] on the [Bb] stream of [Eb] time.
_ _ [Cm] _ _
Savior, [F] _ _ [Bb] lead me, [F] lead me on.
[Eb] Oh, my grave.
_ _ _ [Bb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _