E                     A            E
I was in the first grade I was pumpin' gasoline
                                             B7
Dad did the wrenching' & mama kept the books clean
             A                      E
I could rebuild a carburetor by the time I was 12 years old
             E
I'll have you back on the road
                      B7
get you back in your machine

[Verse 2]
E               A                E
B is for Butch, Evelyn is mama's name
 E                                  B7
B & E Auto Service just a block off Main
        A                                    E
Coming up on 40 years, all-in-all not a bad career
 E                                     B7
But after we lost dad, things began to change

[Chorus]
         A                            E
Each day there's a little less I recognize in my home town
      E                B7               E
It's hard watching the little guy goin' down

[Verse 3]
 E                   A           E
Oil and grime in the pores of my skin
 E                                              B7
Think of all the brake-dust I've been breathin' in
         A                        E
I got a stack of new regulations, High-tech specifications
    E                                    B7
I can't keep up, too old to go to school again

[Verse 4]
 E                 A                    E
Stop lights we-had one and now there's four
            E                                  B7
And you can't-see-the-shop from Main Street anymore
          A
There's a new HEB 'cross town
        E
Over here things are slowin' down
        E                                     B7
As I turn out the lights and lock up my front door

[Bridge]
 C#m
Mom and Pop's like us
             G#m
don't have a place in the world today
       A
The little guy shops don't stand a chance
               B
when the big boys start to play

[Solo]
C#m   G#m  A   B  E   A    E    E  B7  E

[Verse 5]
    E                         A           E
The old men in town meet for coffee every day
    E                                       B7
If things go smooth I'll take my place come May
           A
Or I could set up the navigation
         E
and head out and see the nation
                E                       B7
Instead of watching my old friends fade away

[Chorus]
        A                             E
Each day there's a little less I recognize in my hometown
      E                     B7               E
And it's hard watching the little guys goin' down

[Outro]
            A
Oh it's progress so they say
               E
but that don't mean I'm hangin' 'round
                            B7               E
Cuz it's hard watchin' the little guys going down.