[Notes]
I use a strum with a lot of alternating bass - usually 4th and 5th strings -
for the A and D chords.  However, I find that the strumming patterns
vary greatly throughout the song.  Play along with the record to get
the right feel.

I fake the trumpet intro with D chord forms using D, Dsus4 and D9.

The G-B-Em chord progression in some verses sounds best as single emphasized
strums synchronized to the words (e.g. some THOUGHT he WAS the LAW).

         
 EADGBe   EADG

           
Be    EADGBe  

   
 EADGBe
 xxx232   xxx233    xxx23x   32xxx3

            
 EADGBe   EADG

             
Be   EADGBe   

  
EADGBe
 xx222x   355433   224442   x22xxx

[Verse 1]
             
Layin' back in

              
 an old saloon

            
 with a peso i

     
n my hand
             
Watchin' flies

              
 and children 

       
on the street
             
And I catch a 

              
glimpse of bla

              
ck-eyed girls 

            
who giggle whe

    
n I smile
             
There's a litt

              
le boy who wan

              
ts to shine my

 
 feet
             
And it's three

              
 days ride fro

             
m Bakersfield 

      
and I don't kn

ow why I came
             
I guess I came

              
 to keep from 

       
payin' dues
             
But instead I'

             
ve got a bottl

        
e and a girl a

t just fourtee

n
      
And a damn goo

d case of the 

Mexicali Blues

, yeah

[Chorus]

Is there anyth

ing a man don'

t stand to los

e
              
When the devil

          
 wants to take

 it all away?

Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
              
'Cuz thinkin' 

              
and drinkin' a

            
re all I have 

  
today.

[Verse 2]
             
She said her n

              
ame was Billie

             
 Jean; she was

         
 fresh in town
             
I didn't know 

              
a stage line r

        
an from hell
             
She had raven 

              
hair, a ruffle

             
d dress, a nec

             
klace made of 


gold
             
All the french

              
 perfume you'd

         
 care to smell
             
She took me up

             
 into her room

     
 and whispered

 in my ear
             
Go on my frien

              
d do anything 

    
you choose.
             
Now I'm paying

             
 for those hap

           
py hours I spe

nt there in he

r arms
             
With a lifetim

              
e case of the 

              
Mexicali Blues

  
, yeah.

[Chorus]

Is there anyth

ing a man don'

t stand to los

e
              
When the devil

          
 wants to take

 it all away?

Cherish well your thoughts, keep a tight grip on your booze
              
'Cuz thinkin' 

              
and drinkin' a

            
re all I have 

  
today.

[Verse 3]
             
Then a man rod

              
e into town; s

             
ome thought he

        
 was the law
             
Billie Jean wa

              
s waiting when

    
 he came
             
She told me he

              
 would take he

             
r if I didn't 

      
use my gun
             
And I'd have n

              
o one but myse

      
lf to blame
             
I went down to

             
 those dusty s

        
treets; blood 

was on my mind
             
I guess that s

              
tranger hadn't

           
 heard the new

s.
             
"Cuz I shot fi

             
rst and killed

              
 him.  Lord he

 
 didn't even d

raw.
             
And he made me

              
 trade the gal

              
lows for the M

              
exicali Blues.

[Chorus]

Is there anyth

ing a man don'

t stand to los

e
              
When he lets a

       
 woman hold hi

m in her hand?

You just might find yourself out there on horseback in the dark
              
Just ridin' an

            
d runnin' acro

              
ss those deser

  
t sands.