The Highwaymen – American Remains

Capo on 1st fret


[Verse 1]
(Johnny Cash)

            
I am a shotgun

              
 rider for the

              
 San Jacinto l


ine
             
The desert is 

              
my brother, my

              
 skin is crack

        
ed and dry
            
I was riding o

              
n a folk coach

              
, and everythi

      
ng was fine
             
Til we took a 

              
shorter road t

         
o save some ti

me
             
The bandits on

              
ly fired once,

              
 they shot me 

       
in the chest
             
They  may have

              
 wounded me, b

              
ut they`ll nev

           
er get the bes

t
          
Of better men,

             
 cause I`ll ri

   
de again.


[Verse 2]
(Waylon Jennings)

            
I am a river g

              
ambler, I make

              
 a livin` deal

     
in` cards
             
My clothes are

              
 smooth and ho

              
nest, my heart

              
 is cold and h

 
ard
            
I was shufflin

              
` for some del

              
ta boys on the

      
 boat for New 

Orelans
             
I was the grea

              
test shark the

         
y`d ever seen
             
But the Captai

              
n bumped a san

             
dbar, and an a


ce fell from m

y sleeve
             
The threw me o

              
verboard as I 

              
swore I didn`t

   
 cheat
          
But I could sw

             
im, and I`ll r

    
ide again


[Chorus]

             
We are heros o

              
f the homeland

            
, American rem

ains
             
We live in man

              
y faces and an

    
swer many name

s
             
We will not be

              
 forgotten, we

              
 won`t be left

  
 behind
            
Our memories l

              
ive on in mort

       
al minds
          
And poet`s pen

             
s, we`ll ride 

 
again


[Verse 3]
(Willie Nelson)

            
I am a mid-wes

              
t farmer, I ma

              
ke a livin` of

       
f the land
             
I ride a John 

              
Deer tractor, 

              
I am a liberat

   
ed man
            
But the rain i

              
t hasn`t falle

              
n, since the m

      
iddle of July
             
And if it don`

              
t come soon my

            
 crops will di

e
             
The bank man s

              
ays he likes m

             
e, but there`s


 nothin` he ca

n do
             
He tells me th

              
at he`s comin`

              
, but the clou

              
ds are comin` 


too
             
He ain`t my fr

          
iend, and I`ll

      
 ride again.


[Verse 4]
(Kris Kristofferson)

            
I am an Americ

              
an Indian, my 

         
tribe is Chero

kee
             
My forefathers

              
 loves this la

              
nd, they left 

            
it here for me
            
But the white 

              
man came with 

              
boats and trai

              
ns and dirty f


actories
             
And poisoned m

              
y existence wi

         
th his deeds
             
Nature is our 

              
mother, we are

             
 suckling at h


er breast
             
And he who tri

              
es to beat her

              
 down will los

              
e her to the r


est
            
They`ll never 

           
win, I`ll ride

   
 again


[Chorus]

             
We are heros o

              
f the homeland

            
, American rem

ains
             
We live in man

              
y faces and an

    
swer many name

s
             
We will not be

              
 forgotten, we

              
 won`t be left

      
 behind
            
Our memories l

              
ive on in mort

                  
al minds
           
And poet`s pen

            
s, we`ll ride 

   
again