F                C 
A showman's life is a smokey bar and 
             Dm             Bb 
The fevered chase of a tiny star  
             Dm                Bb 
It's a hotel room and a lonely wife  
               F                   C 
From what I've seen of a showman's life 
                          F 
Nobody told me about this part  
Bb                         F 
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and 
    C                  F 
The money and the good times  
   Bb                                     Dm          C        Bb Bb/A 
Gm 
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart  
      F 
Well, I might have known it  
C                         F          C 
But nobody told me about this part 
           F                 C 
A boy will dream as children do  
                 Dm                        Bb 
Of a great white way, 'til the dream comes true  
             Dm                 Bb 
And a phoney smile in a colored light  
          F                 C 
Is all it is to a showman's life 
                      F 
Nobody told me about this part  
Bb                         F 
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and 
    C                  F 
The money and the good times  
   Bb                                     Dm           C       Bb Bb/A 
Gm 
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart  
       F 
Well, I might have known it  
C                         F          C 
But nobody told me about this part 
 
SOLO 
 
C                          F 
Nobody told me about this part  
Bb                         F 
They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and 
    C                  F 
The money and the good times  
   Bb                                     Dm           C       Bb Bb/A 
Gm 
No mention of all the wear and tear on an old honkey-tonker's heart  
       F 
Well, I might have known it  
C                         F          Bb  
But nobody told me about this part 
       F 
Well, I might have known it  
C                         F            
But nobody told me about this part 
 
Brady Blade     drums 
Rick Plant      bass 
Al Perkins      steel guitar 
Phil Madeira    organ 
Emmylou Harris  harmony  
Buddy Miller    vocals/guitar 
 
From Buddy Miller "Midnight And Lonesome" 
Hightone Records 2002 
Fourth Floor Music/Hot Kitchen Music(ASCAP)