Broken Mans Lament chords by Emmylou Harris

Tuning: EADGBE

Chorus 1:
G
I was once a broken man
   C
I was once a broken fool
D
Lost my wife and children
    C      G
To one basic broken rule
G
Now I live my life in silence
      C
Though I'm not quite in a shell
 D
I drink and listen to that song
C         G
"A Whiter Shade of Pale"
   C        G
Oh, a whiter shade of pale

Chorus 2A:
G
I was a good shade tree mechanic
   C
So I sent myself to school
   D
They smoothed out my rough edges
   C         G
In my hands they put new tools
G
The instructor once he told me
    C
I could work on any line
    D
I could tune and make a diesel sing
C        G
Just like Patsy Cline
  C        G
Oh, just like Patsy Cline

G
Well, I met my wife to be
      C
Through my mother's best friend's son
   D
She'd been a barroom singer
      C      G
She was as good as any-one
G
But I asked her to stop singing
    C
And the girl she did not flinch
   D
Next day she went and bought that man
 C         G
A brand new crescent wrench
   C         G
Oh, a brand new crescent wrench

G
Well, we had three fine children
  C
As eight years went on by
 D
I learned to supervise a line
  C          G
My knuckles stayed bone dry
G
But after supper I kept hearing her
    C
By the kitchen radio
    D
Singing sweet but desperate harmony
 C       G
A little bit too low
   C       G
Oh, a little bit too low

G
She left three months later
  C
I'd just come home for lunch
  D
The note said "easy come, hard go
  C       G
But still love you much"
G
She said, "I don't know if I'll be back
       C
Or if you'll want me if I come
  D
But if and when that happens, dear
      C         G
You better let my sweet dream run
  C         G
Oh, let my sweet dream run"


Chorus 2B:
G
I was a good shade tree mechanic
   C
So I sent myself to school
   D
They smoothed out my rough edges
   C         G
In my hands they put new tools
G
The instructor once he told me
    C
I could work on any line
      D
But now my diesels aren't the only thing
   C        G
That sing like Patsy Cline
  C        G
Oh, just like Patsy Cline


Chorus 1:
G
I was once a broken man
   C
I was once a broken fool
D
Lost my wife and children
    C      G
To one basic broken rule
G
Now I live my life in silence
      C
Though I'm not quite in a shell
 D
I drink and listen to that song
C         G
"A Whiter Shade of Pale"
   C        G