G        G        G        G
Em       Em       Em       Em

[Verse 1]
G                        G                 G                       Em    Em    Em 
  Billy said when he was   17, there ain't nothin left here for me now.
  G                    G               G                 Em    Em    Em 
A small town boy with American dreams, he was California bound.
C                    G        C                 G                                  
  He said "I'm gonna make it, damned if I don't try,
F                       Em            C          C                                  
  you know I just won't take it, this life won't pass me [Interlude] by".

[Interlude] 
G        G        G        G
Em       Em       Em       Em

[Verse 2]
G                   G                           G                         Em   Em   Em 
  Billy grew into a blue-eyed handsome man, the road it left him hard and lean.
G                        G                  G                             Em   Em   Em 
  He lost his heart to a southern girl, she made him feel just like James Dean.
C                  G     C                       G                                  
  And her name was Rita,   she said her love was deep,
F                  Em       C         C 
  Billy bought her promises she could never [Interlude] keep.

[Interlude]     
G        G        G        G

[Chorus]
             C         C          G             G
Strangers in paradise,   long and lonely nights, 
F           F          Em           Em 
never had a dream come true.
             C         C          Em             Em
Strangers in paradise,   long and lonely nights, 
C              C 
searched their whole lives [Interlude] through.

[Interlude]     
G        G        G        G
Em       Em       Em       Em
G        G        G        G
Em       Em       Em       Em
C        C        D        D

[Verse 3]
G                  G                        G                        Em   Em   Em 
  Billy rode those highway lines 'till they one day brought him back home.
G                      G                  G                                  Em   Em   Em 
  He took a job and he took a wife and he worked real hard for things of his own.
C                 G        C                   G                                  
  Said "I'm gonna make it,   damned if I don't try,
F                       Em       C         C 
  you know I just won't take it, this life won't pass me [Interlude] by".

[Interlude]     
G        G        G        G

[End-Chorus] (Repeat and Fade Out)
             C         C          G             G
Strangers in paradise,   long and lonely nights, 
F           F          Em           Em 
never had a dream come true.
             C         C          Em             Em
Strangers in paradise,   long and lonely nights, 
C              C           G
searched their whole lives through.