The Night I Learned How Not To Pray chords by Iris Dement

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Intro:
G  C  G  C
G  D  G


Verse 1:
      G                         C                         G
I was laying on my belly in the middle of the living room floor
      Em                          A                            Am     D
I was watching Howdy Doody so I'm guessing it was right around four
       G                   C                            C         Em
When I saw my baby brother tumbling from the top of the stairs
       G                             D                                     G
He was lying limp and silent and the blood was trickling through his shiny hair

Verse 2:
            G                                  C                       G
When my mom saw my little brother she said you better run and get your dad
        Em                         A                          Am    D
And her voice was high and she was shaking so I knew this was bad
        G                                 C                              C     Em
Well we stood out by the mailbox watching her and dad and brother drive away
      G                               D                           G
And I didn't waste no time I got down on my knees right there and I began to pray


Verse 3:
       G                              C                            G
Well I prayed into the evening, never even took the time to have a bite
      Em                     A                            Am    D
I was sure if I prayed hard enough that God would make it right
        G                              C                       G              Em
We were at the kitchen table long past bedtime when we finally got that call
      G                             D                                     G      C
And I knew that it was over when my sister slammed that phone against the wall


Chorus:
G          C             G
That night I learned how not to pray
Em            A           Am        D
God does what he wants to any way
G                         C
  And I never did tell my mother,
  G                                  C
I kept it from my sisters and all my brothers
G                    D                    G      C
  That was the night I learned how not to pray


Instrumental:
G   C   G
Em  A   Am  D
G   C   G   C
G   D   G


Verse 4:
       G                   C                  G
It was 41 years later when I took my brothers picture out of that box
Em                        A                             Am    D
Hung it on the wall, sat across from him and I began to talk
G                          C                               G     Em
When the evening started I didn't know what I was going to say
      G                                   D                              G      C
But before the night was over I told them all about how I learned not to pray


Chorus:
G          C             G
That night I learned how not to pray
Em            A            Am                  D
God does what God wants to,   don't he any way
G                         C
  And I never did tell my mother,
  G                                  C
I kept it from my sisters and all my brothers
G                    D                    G      C
  That was the night I learned how not to pray
G                      D                  G      C
  That was the night I learned how not to pray,  Whoa oh
G                      D                  G
  That was the night I learned how not to pray