Mr Custer (1960)

 Am ~ ~

(Indians howling)

            C                                        G                                         C

   That famous day in history the men of the 7th Cavalry went riding on.

    And from the rear a voice was heard,

          G                                                                    C

    a brave young man with a trembling voice rang loud and clear :

                         E

    “What am I doin' here?”

       Am                     - Dm                       Am

1. Please Mr. Custer,         I don't wanna go !

    Am                      - Dm                                    Am

    Hey, Mr. Custer,          please don't make me go !

  Dm                                      Am

    I had a dream last night about the comin' fight,

    Dm                                               E - - - - - - - - - - -    E - - - - - - - - - -

    somebody yelled "attack!" And there I stood with an arrow in my back.

      Am                      - Dm                      Am

    Please Mr. Custer,        I don't wanna go (forward ho!!), oh !

                                         Dm

(spoken : ) “Look at them bushes out there.

                 Am

    they're moving and there's a injun behind every one.

                                       Dm                                                          Am

    Hey, Mr. Custer, you mind if I be excused the rest of the afternoon?

                                                   - Dm

    Hey, Charlie, duck yer head !            (whirring arrow heard)

                                                     Am

    Hmm, you're a little bit late on that one, Charlie

    Hooh, I bet that smarts! “

        C

    They were sure of victory,

             G                                        C

    the men of the 7th Cavalry, as they rode on.

    But then from the rear a voice was heard,

             G                                                                        C

    that same brave voice with the trembling word rang loud and clear :

                         E

    “What am I doin' here?”

        Am                     - Dm                       Am

2. Please Mr. Custer,         I don't wanna go !

                                  - Dm                                     Am

    Listen, Mr. Custer,          please don't make me go !

                    Dm                                           Am

    There's a redskin a-waitin' out there, just fixin’ to take my hair,

        Dm                                      E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -    E - - - - - -

    a coward I've been called cuz I don't wanna wind up dead or bald.

       Am                     - Dm                        Am

    Please Mr. Custer,          I don't wanna go (forward ho!), oh !

                                                          Dm

(spoken : ) “I wonder what the injun word for friend is

                                  Am

    Let's see - friend - “kemo sabe”, that's it !

                                                                         Dm

    Kemo sabe ! Hey out there, kemo sabe!    (noise of whirring arrow)

                     Am

    Nope, that itn't it. Look at them durned injuns !

                                                                                                     Dm

    Theyre runnin' around like a bunch of wild Indians, heh, heh, heh

                               Am

    Nah, this ain't no time for jokin' (whirring arrow heard) ….

(capo 2nd)         (Larry Verne)