[Intro]
Am 
Jimmy Sparks went into bars and
 opened up his mouth 
Jimmy Sparks went into bars and opened up his mouth 
Am 
Said some things to wounded men that
 they could not allow 
Said some things to wounded men that they could not allow 
Dm                             
When it came to talking, he was
  Dm    Dm     Dm 
 always on the run 
When it came to talking, he was always on the run 
Am                            Am 
Everyone knew what the man had done 
E         F       E     Am 
Oh, he'll take you for a ride
[Strophe]
Am 
Jimmy believed in the American way 
F 
A prison guard, he worked hard and
 made the minimum wage 
A prison guard, he worked hard and made the minimum wage 
Dm                            F      
He found his freedom locking men in a
  E      Am 
 cage, oh 
He found his freedom locking men in a cage, oh 
Am 
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a
 kid 
Jimmy loved Bonnie and he fathered a kid 
F 
A baby boy, but the mother had other
 reasons to live 
A baby boy, but the mother had other reasons to live 
Dm                          F       
She left the baby with a note on the
  E        Am 
 bed, oh 
She left the baby with a note on the bed, oh 
Am 
It was a struggle just to cover the
 rent 
It was a struggle just to cover the rent 
F 
His jail cut hours and hours little
 baby was sick 
His jail cut hours and hours little baby was sick 
Dm                          F   
He needed money and he needed it
     E 
 quick 
He needed money and he needed it quick 
       Am 
It was 3 AM
[Refrain]
       F             E     Am 
Oh, my love, oh, my love 
                    F            
Could you spare my blood, spare my
 E      Am 
 blood?
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Strophe]
Am 
Jim woke his son and buckled him in
 the car 
Jim woke his son and buckled him in the car 
F 
They drove an hour from town and
 found a gambling hall 
They drove an hour from town and found a gambling hall 
Dm                        F        
The waitress babysat the boy at the
 E          Am 
 bar, oh no 
The waitress babysat the boy at the bar, oh no 
Am 
After an hour, Jimmy doubled his cash
 
After an hour, Jimmy doubled his cash 
F 
He took his kid and his winnings as
 the dealer just laughed 
He took his kid and his winnings as the dealer just laughed 
Dm                               
He said they leave, but then they
   F            E             Am 
 always come back, that's a fact 
He said they leave, but then they always come back, that's a fact 
Am 
Out on the road, they caught a
 stranger in the lights 
Out on the road, they caught a stranger in the lights 
F 
His thumb was up and his son asked if
 the man was alright 
His thumb was up and his son asked if the man was alright 
Dm                             F   
Jim said you never give a hitcher a
     E               Am 
 ride 'cause it's us or them 
Jim said you never give a hitcher a ride 'cause it's us or them 
       Am 
It was 3 AM
[Refrain]
        F            E     Am 
Oh, my love, oh, my love 
                    F             
Could you spare my blood, spare my
   E     Am 
 blood?
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Strophe]
Am 
20 years gone and now the boy is a
 man 
20 years gone and now the boy is a man 
F 
Broke Jimmy's habits, got in
 mountains and mountains of
 debt 
Broke Jimmy's habits, got in mountains and mountains of debt 
Dm                           F       
And now the sharks are coming back to
     E            Am 
 collect, oh-oh 
And now the sharks are coming back to collect, oh-oh 
Am 
They stripped his jewelry and the
 boots off Jim's feet 
They stripped his jewelry and the boots off Jim's feet 
F 
They kick him out the car and say
 we'll give you a week 
They kick him out the car and say we'll give you a week 
Dm                          F    
Eight miles from home and only 18
    E    Am 
 degrees 
Eight miles from home and only 18 degrees 
      Am 
It was 3 AM
[Refrain]
         F            E    Am 
Oh, my love, oh, my love 
                    F            
Could you spare my blood, spare my
 E      Am 
 blood?
Could you spare my blood, spare my blood?
[Solo]
Am  F Dm  F E Am (x2)
[Strophe]
Am 
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his
 way home 
Now Jimmy's son is trying to make his way home 
F 
His graveyard shift had ended and it
 was starting to snow 
His graveyard shift had ended and it was starting to snow 
Dm                             F   
He sees an old man walking barefoot
  E 
 alone 
He sees an old man walking barefoot alone 
       Am 
It was 3 AM 
Am 
His old man waved his hands with
 tears in his eyes 
His old man waved his hands with tears in his eyes 
 F 
But Jimmy's son just sped up and
 remembered daddy's advice 
But Jimmy's son just sped up and remembered daddy's advice 
Dm                            F    
No, you don't ever give a hitcher a
 E                Am 
 ride 'cause it's us or them 
No, you don't ever give a hitcher a ride 'cause it's us or them 
Am 
Cause it's me or him 
       Am 
It was 3 AM
[Outro]
Am 
3 AM