Em
Now the old gunfighter on the porch 
 D
stared into the sun 
    C                    G
and relived the days of living by the gun 
     Em
when deadly games of pride were played 
     D
and living was mistakes not made 
         C
and the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke 
         D                         G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
 C                    G
Ah, the smell of the black powder smoke 
         D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

[Verse 2]
           Em
And he can almost feel the weight of the gun 
         D
and it's always keep your back to the sun 
         C
and it's faster than snakes or a blink of the eye 
           G
and it's a time for all slow men to die 
        Em
and his eyes get squinty and his fingers twitch 
       D
and he empties the gun at the son of a bitch 
         C
and he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
C                      G
hit by the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

[Verse 3]
        Em
Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar 
     D
he's back in his chair in front of the bar 
        C
and the streets are empty and the blood's all dried 
        G
and the dead are dust and the whiskey's inside 
   Em
so buy him a drink and lend him an ear 
     D
he's nobody's fool and the only one here 
    C
who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
C                         G
remember the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

[Verse 4]
          Em
He said I stood in that street before it was paved 
        D
learned shoot or be shot before I could shave 
      C
and I did it all for the money and fame 
G
noble was nothing but feeling no shame 
    Em
and nothing was sacred 'sept stayin' alive 
    D
and all that I learned from a Colt 45 
       C
was to curse the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
C                      G
curse the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

[Verse 5]
Em
Now he's just an old man that no one believes 
D
says he's a gunfighter, the last of the breed 
              C
and there are ghosts in the street seeking revenge 
G
calling him out to the lunatic fringe 
         Em
now he's out in the traffic checking the sun 
         D
and he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun 
   C
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
   C                         G
so much for the smell of the black powder smoke 
        D                          G
and the stand in the street at the turn of a joke