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Country Boy

Abie Rotenberg

Note: Beginnners can skip Bb in the Chorus.
C                             
I was raised on a Kansas farm 
       C        G        C
where corn and soybean grow
        C
How my family came to be there's 
                             G
something no one seemed to know
          F      G       Am
I played quarterback in high school, 
    C               F
my mom baked apple pie
       F                 C          G
Each year we'd fly the stars and stripes 
         Am       G     C
on the fourth day of July

C
My folks never said much 
              C        G       C
but “Did you do your chores today”
C
Then again from time to time 
                 G
"G-d bless the USA"
       F  G    Am
I grew into a man 
           C           F
with my uncomplicated life
     F                   C        G
And asked the girl from down the road, 
     Am      G      C
Caroline, to be my wife


Chorus:
          F  Bb  F
I was a country boy 
            C
living the all American dream
 G
Hard at work, drinking hard, 
 F               C
not much in between.
       F          Bb        F
Never gave much thought to matters 
         G            Am
of the spirit or the soul
           F       C
Wouldn't trade my way of life 
       G              C
for a bushel full of gold.

     C
But one night in the attic 
      C        G      C
in an old and dusty crate
    C
I found great-grandpa's diary, 
                        G
‘til dawn I read it straight.
       F       G        Am
Turns out he fled from Russia 
         C  F
back in 18--93
     F               C      G
The oldest child to my surprise 
     Am      G   C
of a Jewish family.

    C
I showed it to my parents, 
            C    G         C
they said "Son, yes it's true,
     C
But it’s just ancient history, 
                      G
don't let it trouble you"
        F     G         Am
First thing great-grandpappy did 
         C                F
when he set foot on this land
     F              C        G
Was say I pledge allegiance 
    Am      G      C
to good old Uncle Sam.


Chorus:
          F  Bb  F
I was a country boy 
            C
living the all American dream
 G
Hard at work, drinking hard, 
 F               C
not much in between.
       F          Bb        F
Never gave much thought to matters 
         G            Am
of the spirit or the soul
           F       C
Wouldn't trade my way of life 
       G              C
for a bushel full of gold.

    C
But I was more than taken back, 
      C         G       C
my thoughts out of control
    C
I said I got to know more, 
                         G
put my wedding plans on hold.
       F      G       Am
So I drove up to the city, 
          C             F
told the Rabbi what I knew
    F                    C       G
He said "Please let me teach you 
          Am     G     C
what it means to be a Jew."

     C
He taught me about Torah, 
         C      G C
and the mitzvos 613
     C
And how our lives have meaning 
                          G
if we keep ourselves pristine.
    F      G      Am
Day after day he challenged me, 
       C                F
"Come home, I know you can"
     F             C     G
He seemed so sad when I said 
           Am        G    C
"I can't change the way I am."

      C
They all ran out to greet me, 
         C         G   C
my dear folks and Caroline
    C
So happy I was home, 
                       G
that I hadn't lost my mind.
  F        G     Am
"Son", my daddy said, 
                 C              F
"While you were gone, I made a pact
          F          C         G
That I'd buy you a brand new truck 
     Am       G        C
the day that you came back"

    C
We each have moments in our lives 
       C          G   C
that show G-d's providence
     C
But mostly we just shrug them off 
               G
as mere coincidence.
        F       G        Am
When I went to get new plates 
      C       F
down at the DMV
     F                  C        G
The license plate they gave me read, 
  Am  G   C
G-E-T-6-1-3.


Chorus:
             F   Bb  F
I'm still a country boy 
            C
but now my life's a dream come true
          G
Studying Torah in Jerusalem 
          F                C
with the Western Wall in view
    F       Bb          F
My mind is filled with matters 
         G             Am
of the spirit and the soul
           F       C      G
Wouldn't trade my Yiddishkeit 
       Am     G       C
for a bushel full of gold

             F   Bb  F
I'm still a country boy 
            C
but now my life's a dream come true
          G
Studying Torah in Jerusalem 
          F               C
with the Western Wall in view
    F        Bb     F
My Hebrew's got a country twang 
    G               Am
but no one makes a fuss
     F              C     G
And now I mean it when I say 
     Am         G       C
the words, "In G-d we trust."

Purchase the official Journeys songbook on Eichler’s, Amazon or at your local Judaica Shop.

For Direct Orders

Email: manmenterprises@gmail.com.

Phone: 929 268 1699.

Phone (Israel): 02 651 1356.

Audio track available on CDBaby & iTunes.

RSS Recent Updates

  • How it all began… 7th November 2019
  • Elul Updates 8th September 2019

New Song Poll

Song poll is on break.

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