The Sky Above The Mud Below chords by Tom Russell

THE SKY ABOVE THE MUD BELOW
Best with a Travis style pick

Am              C                                Asus2
Two men rode in from the south, one rainy autumn night
        G                 Asus2
The Sky above and the mud below
Am                       C                              Asus2
They walked into the Deacon's bar, they were Mexican by sight
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am   C                G               D/F#            F
They threw a horsehair bridle down, We trade this for whiskey rounds.
    AM     G      F
The Deacon slams a bottle down,
E                    Asus2
The two men start to Drink in'

Am                      C                           Asus2
Their hair was long and black, tied up behind their ears
         G                Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                   C                           Asus2
Their faces were identical, like a man beside a mirror
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am      C               G                D/F#                F
Then someone whispered "That beats all, their wanted posters on the wall
Am     G               F
Twin brothers name of Sandoval,
E                  Asus2
horse thieves from Boquillas"

Am                    C                                      Asus2
Now the bridle and the belts they wore were braided gray and black
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                 C                              Asus2
The color of a roan horse once belonged to Deacon Black
        G                  Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am     C              G                 D/F#                   F
The fastest horse for miles around, He'd been stolen from the old fairground
Am     G               F
a month ago outside of town
E                         Asus2
We tracked and never found him

Am                   C                                     Asus2
Now the Deacon was a preacher who had fallen hard from grace
             G            Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                    C                                   Asus2
He owned the bar and a string of quarter horses that he'd race
        G                  Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am     C             G                       D/F#             F
Yea, Deacon he could drink and curse, though he still quoted sacred verse
Am              G          F
He was sheriff, judge; he owned the hearse,
E               Asus2
man you did not anger

Bridge -
C              G              D/F#               F
The sky above, the mud below, The wind and rain, The sleet and snow
Am        G           F      E                     Asus2
Two horse thieves from Mexico drinkin' hard and singin'

Am            C                                         Asus2
One brother he spoke English, Deac inquires as to their work
             G              Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                     C                                   Asus2
The man says "Mister we braid horsehair bridles, ropes and Quirts
           G              Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am  C                G             D/F#                     F
Yea, that fine bridle we did make, A roan horse killed by leg bone break
Am     G                 F
He's horsehair rope now; horse-meat steak,
E                     Asus2
We cleaned him to the bone

Am                             C                                      Asus2
Well these gentlemen they were ignorant or didn't know just where they were
         G                Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                     C                          Asus2
The Deacon's face grew darker as he measured every word
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am   C                  G               D/F#              F
"You horsehair braidin' sons of bitches stole my claim to earthly riches.
Am     G      F
Someone go and dig a ditch,
E                     Asus2
There may well be a hangin'


Am                  C                                Asus2
One brother reached inside his shirt searching for his gun
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                     C                                Asus2
Too late, for Deac had whipped around his sawed off Remington
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am  C                        G                 D/F#               F
The twins, they raised their hands and sneered, Deac was grinnin' ear to ear
  Am       G                 F
He says "Court's in session, hear ye hear,
E                  Asus2
Yours truly is presidin'"

Am                           C                               Asus2
Well the trial commenced and ended quick, They didn't have a Hope
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                        C                                            Asus2
Deac says "We'll cut your hair now boys and you can braid yourselves a rope"
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am    C            G                  D/F#            F
The Old Testament, it says somewhere 'Eye for eye and hair for hair
Am     G       F
Covet not thy neighbors mare',
E                   Asus2
I believe it's Revelations

Am                      C                           Asus2
Now the fancy horsehair bridle, it hangs on Deacon's wall
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am                  C                         Asus2
Next to that wanted poster of the brothers Sandoval
        G                 Asus2
The sky above and the mud below
Am      C               G            D/F#              F
And the twisted rope so shiny black, The artifact that broke their necks
      Am      G        F
Their craftsmanship he did respect,
E                       Asus2
They shoulda stuck to braidin'


C              G              D/F#               F
The sky above, the mud below, The wind and rain, The sleet and snow
Am     C               F
The Deacon's hearse is rollin' slow
E                          Asus2    Am
in the first blue light of morning