DDPro's Website > John Prine Chords > The Great Society Conflict Veteran's Blues
Sam Stone
Capo 5th/2nd fret
C F
Sam Stone came home to his wife and family,
G7 C
After serving in the conflict overseas.
F
And the time that he served had shattered all his nerves,
G7 C - F - C
And left a little shrapnel in his knee.
F
But the morphine eased the pain, and the grass grew 'round his brain,
D7 G7
And gave him all the confidence he lacked;
D7 G7
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.
C Dm
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
F G7
Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose.
C Am
Little pitchers have big ears, don't stop to count the years,
D7 G7
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
C
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm...
Sam Stone's welcome home didn't last too long;
He went to work when he'd spent his last dime.
And Sammy took to stealing when he got that empty feeling,
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime.
And the gold rolled through his veins like a thousand railroad trains,
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose,
While the kids ran around wearin' other people's clothes.
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears, don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm...
Sam Stone was alone when he popped his last balloon,
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair.
Well, he played his last request while the room smelled just like death,
With an overdose hovering in the air.
But life had lost its fun; there was nothing to be done,
But trade his house that he bought on the GI Bill,
For a flag-draped casket on a local hero's hill.
There's a hole in daddy's arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin', I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears, don't stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
C F G7 C
Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm, mmm, mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm.
(Words and music by John Prine, 1969)