Chords for John Hartford / Steamboat Whistle Blues

_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ [Em] _ _
[F] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _ _ [Am] _
_ [G] _ _ [C] _ _ _ _
I started [Am] out to be a tow boatin' man, but I never [C] got the hang of a ratchet bar.
I was growin' up a-dackin' in the Illinois trade [A] with coal dust [G] in my ear.
[F] I got stuck in the ice [Em] on Christmas Eve [D] and I froze my [G] ass, it's true.
[C] I just a-shiverin' [A] and a-shakin' with the down south [G] case of them steamboat [C] whistle blues.
_ Oh, Captain [Em] Way, I'm sorry, [F] my hat is [G] off the queue.
[C] You been a-hangin' [Am] out by the old cook stove [G] with the steamboat [C] whistle blues. _ _ _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ [A] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _ _
[Em] _ _ [E] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _
_ [Am] _ _ [G] _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ Well, way up [Am] north I called your phone, [G] but I didn't get no [C] one to answer.
So I opened up the window and smoked a little [D] bit and I watched the [G] cars go by.
[F] I'm gonna hutch you up [Em] and ask you, [A] have you found out [G] anything new?
[C] Or are you a-hangin' to the best you [G] have with the steamboat whistle [C] blues? _
I've been right [Em] here since nine o'clock [F] and believe you me, [G] that's true.
[C] I just a-lookin' at the waterways [G] journal with the steamboat whistle [C] blues. _ _ _ _ _
[Am] _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ _ [G] _ _
[F] _ _ [Em] _ _ [E] _ _ _ [G] _
_ [C] _ _ [Am] _ _ [G] _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ Well, the city's growin' up where it looks all square [G] like a crossword puzzle [C] on the landscape.
It looks like an electric shaver now [D] where the courthouse [G] used to be.
[F] The grass is all [Em] synthetic [E] and we don't know for [G] sure about the food.
[C] The only thing we know for [G] sure is the steamboat [C] whistle blues.
_ _ I'd sit and watch my [Em] G.D. [F] if I thought I could trust [G] the news [C] about the only [Am] thing I trust
these days, [G] the steamboat [C] whistle blues. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ [Em] _ _ _ [F] _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ Well, a-far out Johnny well [Am] I heard him say [G] and he stretched out [C] back on my waterbed.
Only grass music is a thing of the past [D] and the same for [G] rock and roll.
[F] And I loaned him two or [Em] three dollars and he [G] gave me the latest news [C] and he left me
here with a rolling [G] stone and the steamboat whistle [C] blues.
_ I'll tear off down the [Em] river [F] someday before [G] I'm through.
[G] I'll then come back here and sit out with the steamboat [C] whistle blues. _
_ _ [G] _ _ [Em] _ _ [F] _ _
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