When You're Twenty-One Chords

Lyrics & chords

[Intro 1]
[D][A][D]

[Verse 1]
It [D]was Christmas [A]Eve
[Esus4]the night your [D]poor Ma died,[G]
And I reckoned she prayed all of her life
that she could [D]raise you to be 21
And then you never [A]moved into town,
boy, we just kept on living out [D]here
Oh, and [A]life's [Dm]been good and [D]bad, son,
[G]for the past twenty -one years.
Oh, [A]I remember now when
you were a little fella,
and I used to take my boy [D]to church.
And when [G]you sang [D]the Christmas carols
[A]with the other boys,
oh, it gave Daddy's heart [D]a jerk.
Why, you sounded [F]a lot l[D]ike a l[G]ittle angel,
boy, and a [D]papa you sure looked [A]sweet,
even though your little ragged britches
came halfway [D]to your
skinny little [A]knees.[G]
Oh, and it made your papa proud, boy,
and it filled my [A]whole [D]heart
with [A]joy.
Preacher'd step down and
he'd pat your head
[D]and he'd say,
My, my, got yourself a fine little boy.
[G]Well, maybe my life down here's about over,
[D]boy.
Maybe my days on earth's
about [A]done.
Maybe now I'll see your mama
live with the Lord, [D]boy.
Merry Christmas to you an[G]d

[Outro 1]
a happy birthday, son.
[G][D][A]