Artist: Steve Earle | Song: Rich Man's War

Artist/Band: Earle Steve Tabs
Song: Rich Man's War Tab

Rich Man’s War
By Steve Earle
rmofle at satx.rr.com
10/17/2004

Capo 2

D                               A               D 
Jimmy joined the army ‘cause he had no place to go
      D                                                               Em
There ain’t nobody hirin’ ‘round here since all the jobs went down to Mexico
G                                                      A
Reckoned that he’d learn himself a trade maybe see the world
G                                    A
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
G                       D          
Somebody somewhere had another plan
G                    D
Now he’s got a rifle in his hand
D                    A                         Bm   G
Rollin’ into Baghdad wonderin’ how he got this far
D                     A                         D     
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war


Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he’s still there
Chasin’ ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war


Bride:
Bm           G
When will we ever learn
D            A
When will we ever see
Bm              G
We stand up and take our turn
D              A
And tellin’ ourselves we’re free


Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain’t nothin’ else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin’ ‘bout livin’ in fear all your life makes you hard that way
He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war