C        B        Am
But I'm going to tell it again
Am
So many other people try to tell the tale
C        B        Am
Not one of them knows the end….
Am
It was a junk-house in South Carolina
C         B             Am
Held a boy the age of ten
Am
Along with his older brother Billy
C        B           Am
And their mother and her boyfriend
          D
Who was a triple loser with some blue tattoos
           D
That were given to him when he was young
      Am
And a drunk temper that was easy to lose
          C            B      Em  Am
And thank god he didn't own a gun
Am
Well, Billy woke up in the back of his truck
       C         B        Am
Took a minute to open his eyes
He took a peep into the back of the house
And found himself a big surprise
D
He didn't see his brother but there was his mother
With her red-headed head in her hands
          Am
While the boyfriend had his gloves wrapped around an old
C                B         Em   Am
Priest trying to choke the man
( C  B Em G)
(  F )softly
( Am     G   F ) (softly gently 2x)

Am
Billy looked up from the window to the truck
      C              B            Am
Threw up, and had to struggle to stand
Am
He saw that red-necked bastard with a hammer
         C             B          Am
Turn the priest into a shell of a man
D
The priest was putting up the fight of his life
D
But he was old and he was bound to lose
    Am
The boyfriend hit as hard as he could
                C           B            Em   Am
And knocked the priest right down to his shoes
Am
Well, now Billy knew but never actually met
    C              B            Am
The preacher lying there in the room
Am
He heard himself say, "That must be my daddy"
        C                G     Am
Then he knew what he was gonna do
D
Billy got up enough courage, took it up
D
And grabbed the first blunt thing he could find
         Am
It was a cold, glass bottle of milk
           C             G          Em   Am
That got delivered every morning at nine
( C  B Em G)
(  F )
( Am     G   F )
( Am     G   F)
( Em )
Am
Billy broke in and saw the blood on the floor, and
Am
He turned around and put the lock on the door
Dm
He looked dead into the boyfriend's eye
    E
His mother was a ghost, too upset to cry, then
Am
He took a step toward the man on the ground
Am
From his mouth trickled out a little audible sound
Dm
He heard the boyfriend shout, "Get out!"
          E
And Billy said, "Not till I know what this is all about"
Am
"Well, this preacher here was attacking your mama"
Am
But Billy knew just who was starting the drama
Dm
So Billy took dead aim at his face
               E
And smashed the bottle on the man who left his dad in disgrace, and
Am
The white milk dripped down with the blood, and the
Am
Boyfriend fell down dead for good
      Dm
Right next to the preacher who was gasping for air
          E
And Billy shouted, "Daddy, why'd you have to come back here?"
Am
His mama reached behind the sugar and honey, and
Am
Pulled out an envelope filled with money
      Dm
"Your daddy gave us this," she collapsed in tears
 E
"He's been paying all the bills for years"
Am
"Mama, let's put this body underneath the trees
Am
and put Daddy in the truck and head to Tennessee"
Dm
Just then, his little brother came in
            E
Holding the milk man's hat and a bottle of gin singing,
Am
Well now you heard another side to the story
        C          B      Am
But you wanna know how it ends?
Am
If you must know, the truth about the tale
C      B       Am
Go and ask the milkman