[Intro]
Dm  Dm A7  Dm  Dm
[Strophe]
          Dm     A7          
Seen the arrow on the doorpost
 Dm Am Dm 
 
Seen the arrow on the doorpost 
                  A7       Dm  
Saying, "This land is condemned
 Am Dm 
 
Saying, "This land is condemned 
        A7        C         G 
All the way from New Orleans 
Bb    C        Dm Am Dm 
To Jerusalem." 
          A7               
I traveled through East Texas
 Dm Am Dm 
 
I traveled through East Texas 
           A7          Dm Am Dm 
Where many martyrs fell 
             A7       C          G 
And I know no one can sing the blues
 
And I know no one can sing the blues 
   Bb            C       Dm Am Dm 
Like Blind Willie McTell
[Refrain]
        Dm         A7             
Well, I heard the hoot owl singing
 Dm Am Dm 
 
Well, I heard the hoot owl singing 
               A7              Dm 
As they were taking down the tents
  Am Dm 
 
As they were taking down the tents 
            A7        C         G 
The stars above the barren trees 
        Bb    C       Dm Am Dm 
Were his only audience 
             A7     Dm      Am Dm 
Them charcoal gypsy maidens 
               A7         Dm Am Dm 
Can strut their feathers well 
         A7     C              G 
But nobody can sing the blues 
    Bb           C         Dm Am Dm 
Like Blind Willie McTell
[Strophe]
Dm        A7              Dm    
See them big plantations burning
 Am Dm 
 
See them big plantations burning 
         A7                Dm 
Hear the cracking of the whips
 Am Dm 
 
Hear the cracking of the whips 
                 A7       C       
Smell that sweet magnolia blooming
  G 
 
Smell that sweet magnolia blooming 
              Bb        C         Dm 
(And) see the ghosts of slavery ships
 
(And) see the ghosts of slavery ships 
                A7         Dm   
I can hear them tribes a-moaning
 Am Dm 
 
I can hear them tribes a-moaning 
                    A7        Dm 
(I can) hear the undertaker's bell 
          A7          C      G 
(Yeah), nobody can sing the blues 
Bb           C         Dm Am Dm 
Like Blind Willie McTell
[Strophe]
          Dm   A7          
There's a woman by the river
 Dm Am Dm 
 
There's a woman by the river 
            A7                 Dm
With some fine young handsome man
 Am Dm 
 
With some fine young handsome man 
                 A7          
He's dressed up like a squire
 C     G 
 
He's dressed up like a squire 
Bb          C                 Dm 
Bootlegged whiskey in his hand 
                    A7           
There's a chain gang on the highway
 Dm Am Dm 
 
There's a chain gang on the highway 
        A7              Dm Am Dm 
I can hear them rebels yell 
               A7  C            G 
And I know no one can sing the blues
 
And I know no one can sing the blues 
Bb        C            Dm Am Dm 
Like Blind Willie McTell
[Strophe]
      Dm      A7      Dm Am Dm 
Well, God is in heaven 
         A7             Dm Am Dm 
And we all want what's his 
               A7           C      
But power and greed and corruptible
     G 
 seed 
But power and greed and corruptible seed 
Bb           C             Dm 
Seem to be all that there is 
            A7            Dm Am Dm 
I'm gazing out the window 
           A7        Dm Am Dm 
Of the St. James Hotel 
             A7   C            G 
And I know no one can sing the blues
 
And I know no one can sing the blues 
Bb           C       Dm  Am Dm 
Like Blind Willie McTell
[Outro]
Dm A7  Dm Am Dm  Dm A7  Dm Am Dm
Dm A7  C G  Bb C  Dm Am Dm
Dm A7  Dm Am Dm  Dm A7  Dm Am Dm
Dm A7  C G Bb C  Dm