G I guess I should've written, Dad 
To let you know that I was comin' home ... 
C I've been gone so many years 
I didn't realize you had a phone ... 
I G saw your cattle comin' in 
Boy, they're looking mighty fat and slick ... 
I C saw Fred at the service station 
D7 Told me that his wife is awful G sick. ... 
 
You heard my record on the radio 
Oh! well it's just another song ... 
But I've got a hit recorded 
And it'll be out on the market 'fore too long ... 
I got this ring in Mexico 
An' no, it didn't cost me quite a bunch ... 
When you're in the business that I'm in 
The people call it puttin' up a front. ... 
 
I know I've lost a little weight 
I guess I am lookin' kind of pale ... 
If you didn't know me better, Dad 
You'd think that I'd just gotten out of jail ... 
No, we don't ever call them beer joints 
Night clubs are the places where I work ... 
You meet a lot of people there, but no 
There ain't much chance of gettin' hurt. ... 
 
CHANGE TO A: 
A I'm sorry that I couldn't be here 
With you all when Momma passed away ... 
D I was on the road and when they came 
And told me it was just too late ... 
I A drove by the grave to see her 
Boy, that really is a pretty stone ... 
I'm D glad that Fred and Jan are here 
It's E7 better than you being here a-{A} lone. ... 
 
Well, I knew you's gonna ask me 
Who the lady is that's sleepin' in the car ... 
That's just a girl who works for me 
And, man, she plays a pretty mean guitar ... 
We worked in San Antone last night 
She didn't even have the time to dress ... 
She drove me down from Nashville 
And to tell the truth I guess she needs the rest. ... 
 
A Well, Dad, I gotta go, we got a dance 
To work in Cartersville tonight ... 
D Let me take your number down, I'll call you 
And I promise you I'll write ... 
Now A you be good and don't be chasin' 
All those pretty women that you know ... 
And D by the way if you see Barbara E7 Walker 
Tell her that "I said A Hello."