American Remains

Am                                        F
I am a shotgun rider for the San Jacinto line
       C                                          G
The desert is my brother, my skin is cracked and dry
   Am                                           F
I was riding on a folk coach, and everything was fine
C                                    G
Til we took a shorter road to save some time
         F                                       Am
The bandits only fired once, they shot me in the chest
C                                                    G
They  may have wounded me, but they`ll never get the best
          Fmaj7                Am
Of better men, cause I`ll ride again.


[Verse 2]
(Waylon Jennings)

Am                                             F
I am a river gambler, I make a livin` dealin` cards
C                                                        G
My clothes are smooth and honest, my heart is cold and hard
Am                                              F
I was shufflin` for some delta boys on the boat for New Orelans
C                                    G
I was the greatest shark they`d ever seen
F                                        Am
But the Captain bumped a sandbar, and an ace fell from my sleeve
C                                            G
The threw me overboard as I swore I didn`t cheat
          Fmaj7                 Am
But I could swim, and I`ll ride again


[Chorus]

C                                       G
We are heros of the homeland, American remains
F                               Am
We live in many faces and answer many names
      C                                     G
We will not be forgotten, we won`t be left behind
 Dm                                G
Our memories live on in mortal minds
          Fmaj7              Am
And poet`s pens, we`ll ride again


[Verse 3]
(Willie Nelson)

Am                                               F
I am a mid-west farmer, I make a livin` off the land
 C                                           G
I ride a John Deer tractor, I am a liberated man
Am                                              F
But the rain it hasn`t fallen, since the middle of July
C                                       G
And if it don`t come soon my crops will die
F                                        Am
The bank man says he likes me, but there`s nothin` he can do
C                                                       G
He tells me that he`s comin`, but the clouds are comin` too
             Fmaj7                Am
He ain`t my friend, and I`ll ride again.


[Verse 4]
(Kris Kristofferson)

Am                                   F
I am an American Indian, my tribe is Cherokee
       C                                              G
My forefathers loves this land, they left it here for me
        Am                                              F
But the white man came with boats and trains and dirty factories
C                                    G
And poisoned my existence with his deeds
F                                        Am
Nature is our mother, we are suckling at her breast
C                                                       G
And he who tries to beat her down will lose her to the rest
            Fmaj7              Am
They`ll never win, I`ll ride again


[Chorus]

C                                       G
We are heros of the homeland, American remains
F                               Am
We live in many faces and answer many names
      C                                         G
We will not be forgotten, we won`t be left behind
        Dm                                    G
Our memories live on in mortal minds
           Fmaj7               Am
And poet`s pens, we`ll ride again