Capo 3 
 
Verse 1
      G 
The house burned down on a stormy night 
           Bm 
and they never did find out why. 
        C 
I just stood alone beneath the silver maple 
           Am                  G 
Trying to keep my cigarettes dry. 
 
Verse 2
G 
Waiting for the firemen, 
   Bm 
I couldn't save a thing, 
           C 
And deep inside my home above the roar of the flame 
    Am                          G 
I swore I heard the telephone ring. 
 
Verse 3
     G 
The rain let up and we worked till dawn, 
     Bm 
just me and the firemen, 
              C 
And when they cut the power and the lines went dead, 
   Am               G 
I never got called again. 
 
Chorus 1
    Em                     Bm 
The house was gone by the break of dawn, 
    C 
the air was cold and grey. 
        G                 Bm 
I just set off down the road alone, 
         Am     C         G   C/G  G   C/G  G 
but it's always gone that way. 
 
Verse 4
G 
So young, so long ago 
   Bm 
I thought I heard that train, 
C 
Calling out my name, 
            Am               G 
At least it sounded like my name. 
 
Verse 5
       G 
Just a boy with no direction, 
  Bm 
I left my home behind, 
        C 
And the sky changed color 
       Am                 G 
once I crossed that town line. 
 
Verse 6
   G 
My good friends did the best they could 
   Bm 
to hold me down with them, 
      C 
But I took one look, and I packed my bags 
      Am                 G 
and I slipped around the bend. 
 
Chorus 2
    Em                Bm 
The lessons came from left and right, 
    C 
the first night out I found, 
    G                   Bm 
The laws were not meant to protect 
    Am       C      G   G/C  G   G/C   G 
the man from out of town. 
 
Verse 7
G 
There was a cold street on the sea coast, 
  Bm 
I once tried to call home. 
          C 
Where the church  steeples rose up 
          Am               G 
above the town like broken bones. 
 
Verse 8
G 
Drinking whiskey with the catholic priest 
    Bm 
one night in the recotory hall, 
        C 
He just shook his head and said 
           Am              G 
"You never know when Jesus calls." 
 
Chorus 3
         Em                   Bm 
Then his eyes got wide and he looked around 
       C 
but he just could not explain. 
               G                  Bm 
It was like he heard the sound of Jesus laugh 
    Am     C         G       C/G  G   C/G  G 
the way I heard that train. 
 
Verse 9
G 
Now the years and the faces blur, 
        Bm 
still I can remember some. 
           C 
There were women washing windows, 
           Am                 G 
there were salesgirls chewing gum. 
 
Verse 10
G 
There were curses in the shapes of old men, 
Bm 
kneeling in the pews. 
          C 
There are things in this life 
      Am                   G 
a man just does not get to choose. 
 
Verse 11
G 
So, finally I found a home 
     Bm 
in a tiny mountain town, 
       C 
Just a simple place to keep me dry 
         Am                G 
when the rain came pouring down. 
 
Chorus 4
   Em                 Bm 
A place to sleep, the rent was cheap, 
      C 
brick walls and a new slate roof. 
    G                     Bm 
The landlord said "You'll be safe here. 
     C        Am    G 
This house is fireproof."