Buddy Miller    A Showman's Life   written by Jesse Winchester

            F                C
A showman's life is a smokey bar and
             Dm             Bb
The fevered chase of a tiny star
             Dm                Bb
It's a hotel room and a lonely wife
               F                   C
From what I've seen of a showman's life
                          F
Nobody told me about this part
Bb                         F
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and
    C                  F
The money and the good times
   Bb                                     Dm          C        Bb Bb/A
Gm
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart
      F
Well, I might have known it
C                         F          C
But nobody told me about this part
           F                 C
A boy will dream as children do
                 Dm                        Bb
Of a great white way, 'til the dream comes true
             Dm                 Bb
And a phoney smile in a colored light
          F                 C
Is all it is to a showman's life
                      F
Nobody told me about this part
Bb                         F
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and
    C                  F
The money and the good times
   Bb                                     Dm           C       Bb Bb/A
Gm
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart
       F
Well, I might have known it
C                         F          C
But nobody told me about this part

SOLO

C                          F
Nobody told me about this part
Bb                         F
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and
    C                  F
The money and the good times
   Bb                                     Dm           C       Bb Bb/A
Gm
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart
       F
Well, I might have known it
C                         F          Bb
But nobody told me about this part
       F
Well, I might have known it
C                         F
But nobody told me about this part

Brady Blade     drums
Rick Plant      bass
Al Perkins      steel guitar
Phil Madeira    organ
Emmylou Harris  harmony
Buddy Miller    vocals/guitar

From Buddy Miller "Midnight And Lonesome"
Hightone Records 2002
Fourth Floor Music/Hot Kitchen Music(ASCAP)