|C Dm | G  |
|C Dm | G  |
|Cmaj7| F  |
|C    | G  |

[Verse 1]
C            Dm            G
We had an apartment in the city,
C        Dm                  G
Me and Loretta liked living there.
Cmaj7            C          F
It'd been years since the kids had grown,
       Csus   C                G
A life of their own and left us alone.
C         Dm             G
John and Linda live in Omaha,
C           Dm               G
And Joe is somewhere on the road.
Cmaj7                F
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
                 Csus  C                      G
And still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.

[Chorus 1]
Bb                            C
Ya know old trees just grow stronger,
Bb                            C
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Em                     F
Old people just grow lonesome
              Csus             G                C*
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

[Instrumental]
|C Dm | G  |
|C Dm | G  |
|Cmaj7| F  |
|C    | G  |

[Verse 2]
C         Dm              G
Me and Loretta, we don't talk much more,
C             Dm                          G
She sits and stares through the back door screen.
Cmaj7        C           F
And all the news just repeats itself
       Csus   C                G
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
C            Dm             G
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
C           Dm                  G
We worked together at the factory.
Cmaj7                    F
But what could I say if asks, "What's new?"
Csus  C                             G
Nothing, what's with you?  Nothing much to do.

[Chorus 1]
Bb                            C
Ya know old trees just grow stronger,
Bb                            C
And old rivers grow wilder ev'ry day.
Em                     F
Old people just grow lonesome
              Csus             G                C*
Waiting for someone to say, "Hello in there, hello."

[Instrumental]
|C Dm | G  |
|C Dm | G  |
|Cmaj7| F  |
|C    | G  |

[Verse 3]
C             Dm               G
So if you're walking down the street sometime
C              Dm            G
And spot some hollow ancient eyes,
Cmaj7             C             F
Oh, please don't just pass 'em by and stare
          Csus   C           G                   C*
As if you didn't care, say, "Hello in there, hello."