Chords for sixteen summers fifteen falls - townes van zandt

_ _ [B] _ _ [A#] _ _ [B] _ _
[C#m] _ _ [G#m] _ _ [C#m] _ _ [D#m] _
[C#m] Let me tell you a story [B] about a girl I knew, _
[C#m] _ fairer skin [B] with eyes of blue.
[C#m] I swear to the Lord [B] that I loved her true. _
_ _ _ [E] It's a year [G#] now, she's been [G#m] gone.
_ [C#m] _ _ _
Well, her spirit was as bright [B] as the soft sunshine. _
[C#m] _ Lips the color [B] of strawberry wine.
[C#m] I wish to [B] God she still was mine.
_ _ _ [C#m] But the chance [G#] won't come again.
_ _ [C#m] _ _ [G#m] _
[C#m] At first we lay [B] in love's sweet bed.
[C#m] But one look at her eyes, [B] I might have read.
[C#m] All the pain that was flying [B] through her head. _
_ _ _ [C#m] Through my guilt [G#] I could [C#m] not see.
[G#m] _ _ _ _ _
I turned to her [B] when the morning came.
[C#m] _ Hungry thoughts [B] racing through my brain.
[C#m] But the life in her heart [B] screamed herself she slain.
_ _ _ [C#m] And an old [G#] whispered love [C#m] too [G#m] soon.
_ [C#m] _ _ [G#m] _
[C#m] Our old man screamed [B] and her mother cried. _
[C#m] All I could do [B] was to wonder why.
[C#m] A girl in her youth [B] was forced to die.
_ _ _ [C#m] Is loving [G#] _
[C#m] such a crime?
[G#m] _ _ [C#m] _ _ _
She died a few years [B] with breasts still small.
[C#m] She had sixteen summers [B] and fifteen falls.
[C#m] Me and my blindness [B] never realized all.
_ _ _ [C#m] The fear [G#] she kept [C#m] inside.
[G#m] _ _ [C#m] _ _ _
Let me tell you a story [B] about a girl I knew. _
[C#m] _ Fairer skin [B] with eyes of blue.
[C#m] I swear to the Lord [B] that I loved her true. _