Casey's Last Ride 
Words & Music by Kris Kristofferson 
Sung by John Denver 

from Aerie (1971)



 Dm                              C
Casey joins the hollow sound of silent people walkin' 
           Bb                            A
down the stairway to the subway in the shadows down below
 Dm                                 C
Following their footsteps thru the neon darkened coridors
    Bb                         A
Of silent desperation, never speakin' to a soul

     Bb                                F
The poison air he's breathin' has the dirty smell of dyin'
             Gm                               A
'Cause it's never seen the sunshine and it's never felt the rain
     Dm                           C
But Casey minds the arrows and ignores the fatal echoes
         Bb                               A              Dm    C
Of the clickin' of the turnstile and the rattle of his chains

     F                                            C
    "Oh", she said "Casey it's been so long since I've seen you"
                       C7                          F
    "Here" she said, "Just a kiss to make a body smile"
                                                         C
    "See" she said, "I've put on new stockings just to please you"
                       C7                        F     A
    "Lord" she said, "Casey can you only stay awhile"

 Dm                                C
Casey leaves the underground and stops inside the Golden Crown
     Bb                              A
For somethin' wet to wipe away the chill that's on his bones
 Dm                            C
See'ing his reflection in the lives of all the lonely men
     Bb                             A
Who reach for anything they can to keep from going home
                              
  Bb                            F
Standing in the corner, Casey drinks his pint of bitter,
        Gm                           A
Never glancing in the mirror at the people passing by
          Dm                             C
Then he stumbles as he's leavin' and he wonders if the reason
        Bb                              A                 Dm   C
Is the beer that's in his belly or the tear that's in his eye

     F                                           C
    "Oh" she said, "I suppose you seldom think about me"
                      C7                              F
    "Now" she said, "Now that you've a family of your own"
                                                          C
    "Still" she said, "It's so blessed good to feel your body"
                       C7                         F
    "Lord" she said, "Casey, it's a shame to be alone"

 G                                             D    
"Oh" she said, "Casey, it's been so long since I've seen you"
                         D7                   G
"Here" she said "Just a kiss to make a body smile"
                                                     D
"See" she said, "I've put on new stockings just to please you"
                   D7                          G
"Lord" she said, "Casey, can you only stay a while"
  D                D7                        G
"Lord" she said, "Casey it's a shame to be alone"
     

Copyright 1970 by Combine Music Corporation

    Source: geocities.com/hollywood/academy/3225/Folk/John_Denver

               ( geocities.com/hollywood/academy/3225/Folk)                   ( geocities.com/hollywood/academy/3225)                   ( geocities.com/hollywood/academy)                   ( geocities.com/hollywood)