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               He Was in Heaven Before He Died - John Prine         
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Tabbed by: Dave S.

Tuning: Standard

Artist: John Prine
Album: Great Days: The John Prine Anthology
Year: 1993


[Intro]
C

[Verse 1]
C                    F
There's a rainbow of babies
       G             C
Draped over the graveyard
      F            C
Where all the dead sailors
               G
Wait for their brides
        C
And the cold bitter snow
    F              C
Has strangled each grassblade
          F               C
Where the salt from their tears
G                   C
Washed out with the tide

[Chorus]
      F             G
And I smiled on the Wabash
    G           C
The last time I passed it
      F          C
Yes I gave her a wink
                   G  
From the passenger side
       C
And my foot fell asleep
     F            C
As I swallowed my candy
        F         C
Knowing he was in heaven
G         C
Before he died

[Verse 2]
        C           F
Now the harbor's on fire
         G            C
With the dreams and desires
     F              C
Of a thousand young poets
                       G
Who failed 'cause they tried
      C
For a rhyme without reason
       F           C
Floats down to the bottom
          F          C
Where the scavengers eat 'em
    G                C
And wash in with the tide


[Chorus]
      F             G
And I smiled on the Wabash
    G           C
The last time I passed it
      F          C
Yes I gave her a wink
                   G  
From the passenger side
       C
And my foot fell asleep
     F            C
As I swallowed my candy
        F         C
Knowing he was in heaven
G         C
Before he died


[Verse 3]
    C            F
The sun can play tricks
          G           C
With your eyes on the highway
    F            C
The moon can lay sideways
                      G
Till the ocean stands still
      C
But a person can't tell
    F              C
His best friend he loves him
     F                C
Till time has stopped breathing
       G            C
You're alone on the hill


[Chorus]
      F             G
And I smiled on the Wabash
    G           C
The last time I passed it
      F          C
Yes I gave her a wink
                   G  
From the passenger side
       C
And my foot fell asleep
     F            C
As I swallowed my candy
        F         C
Knowing he was in heaven
G         C
Before he died