Abie Rotenberg
Purchase the full Journeys songbook on Eichler’s or on Amazon.
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."