Ever South

   Em                               D
We packed our few belongings and we moved across the ocean
   Em                       D
To start a new life in this land so bold and vast
   Em                           D
Dispersed from Ellis Island, my distant Irish kin
   Em                    D
Eyes cut to the future, heart’s tied to the past

Em D

[Verse 2]
   Em                                  D
We held tight to our loved ones and we held on to the promise
       Em                                D
and we scraped our meager living hand to mouth
   Em                                  D
We prayed to what would have us, every doubting John Thomas
     Em                               D
spreading through the Appalachia ever south
 Em                            D
Spread through Appalachia ever south


[Verse 3]
      Em                                D
And I hear we weren’t welcomed here, at least not in those days
       Em                                    D
No one needs our drunken, fighting, thieving kind
       Em                               D
But we settled in this new place and we worked it in our ways
    Em                            D
and spread our kin upon it in due time
  Em                          D
Spread our kin upon it in due time


[Chorus 1]
       C9                               G
And we fought our losing battles and we held onto our ways
       C9                             G
and we talk of how we left behind our better days
          C9                             G
Some were living lives of leisure, some surviving hand to mouth
         Em                             D
Bash our heads against the future, ever south
         Em                            D
Bash our heads against the future ever south

[Instrumental]
Em D x2

[Verse 4]
       Em                              D
When I set my sights upon you, we were both still in our prime
        Em                           D
We were moving in big circles that I sought out to combine
      Em                             D
And I held you in my arms and swore eternal love this time
         Em                                D
Tried to lasso brighter futures and let it drag us both behind
Em                             D
Lasso brighter futures, let it drag us both behind

Em D

[Chorus 2]
      C9                                G
So we aimed our sights westward like so many did before
   C9                          G
Expanding our horizons to some distant shore
      C9                           G
Where everyone takes notice of the drawl that leaves our mouth
           Em                             D
So that no matter where we are we’re ever south
   Em                             D
No matter where we are we’re ever south

[Instrumental]
Em D x2


[Verse 5]
       Em                               D
Now my Christian Southern brethren will tell you all what for
   Em                                        D
to keep your heathen ways up in you and your shoes outside the door
          Em                              D
take your stand for noble causes till you just can’t stand no more
       Em                                D
and surrender to some savior, Praise the Lord,
    Em                               D
Surrender to some savior, Praise the Lord

Em D

[Verse 6]
       Em                           D
But despite our best intentions, it pains me to report
        Em                              D
we keep swinging for the fences, coming up a little short
   Em                            D
We sure can get it wrong for someone so devout
           Em                                   D
I hear you whistling past the graveyard looking down
Em                                   D
Whistling past the graveyard looking down

{Chorus 3}
C9 G x1

     C9                            G
Ever Southern in my carriage, ever southern in my stance
       C9                             G
in the Irish of my complexion and the Scottish in my dance
       C9                            G
in the way I bang my head against my daily circumstance

C9 G

         C9                                G
Let this blue eyed southern devil take you out upon the prowl
     C9                        G
with decadence and charm we’ll take it into town
         C9                             G
tell you stories of our fathers and the glories of our house
       Em                         D
Always told a little slower, ever south
       Em                         D
Always told a little slower, ever south