D                                     A                D
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
                                                    G             D
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
                                               A                 D
These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old bones, I toss and roll
                                              G        A      D
And it's all in where they scatter, tells you what the future holds

        D                               A                D
Oh, she lived up on the mountain eleven miles or so from town
                                        G                    D
With a one-eyed cat named Wink, a billy goat and a blue tick hound
                                 A                  D
Her graying hair was braided and wrapped around her head
                                          G      A     D
And her dress was long and faded, and her home a rusty shed

     D                                  A        D
In a little pouch of burlap tied with a piece of twine
                                                G                     D
There were bones all shapes and sizes, gathered through the course of time
                                     A                    D
She'd throw them out before you, she swore that she could see
                                        G          A      D
The present, past and future, she could ready your desti- ny

       D                            A                 D
Every- body knew about her, came to get their fortune read
                                               G                D
Concerning health and wealth and power, who to love and when to wed
                                           A                 D
Well, I just like helpin' people, I'm just glad that I could help
                                       G       A      D
Why, I know everybody's secrets, but I keep it to my- self

[Chorus]

          D                                     A                D
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
                                                    G             D
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
                                               A/E      A        D
These old bones, I shake and rattle, these old bones, I toss and roll
                                              G        A      D
And it's all in where they scatter, tells you what the future holds

     D                             A                D
Some called her witchy woman, some said she was in- sane
                                   G         D
Some said she was a prophet, still everybody came
                                       A                   D
Just because a body's different, well, that don't make 'em mad
                                       G       A             D
Well, they've crucified a many for the special gifts they've had

      D                                 A                D
I had often heard about her, dreamed a- bout her now and then
                                     G               D
For I, too, was clairvoyant, came a- bout when I was ten
                                   A                   D
I was fascinated with her, and the things I'd heard a- bout
                                          G   A          D
And I knew some day I'd meet her, and one day it came a- bout

        D                                     A             D
Well, I know'd that you 'uz a'comin', I could feel it in my bones
                                         G                 D
These old bones have also told me that I won't be here for long
                                           A                   D
Did you know that you 'uz adopted, did you know you once't was mine?
                                      G        A        D
But the county took you from me, said I wasn't right in mind

           D                                   A                 D
But I just know'd I had to see you 'fore these bones was laid to rest
                               G                D
So I conjured up a message, it must'a worked, I guess
                                A             D
This gift runs in the family, I know you also know
                                            G      A                D
And I passed this gift on to you, these old bones, they're just for show

[Chorus]

          D                                     A                D
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
                                            G                    D
These old bones will tell you surely how to live and when you'll die
                                              A                D
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
                                             G        A      D
And it's all in where they scatter tells you what the future holds

           D                            A                D
I held her hand while she was dyin' and with the funeral through
                                     G               D
I headed on back up the mountain for Billy, Wink and Blue
                                           A                 D
And that little pouch of burlap with those bones so worn and old
                                   G     A      D
She give me somethin' special, now every time I throw

[Chorus]

          D                                     A                D
These old bones will tell your story, these old bones will never lie
                                                    G             D
These old bones will tell you surely what you can't see with your eye
                                              A/E     A        D
These old bones I shake and rattle, these old bones I toss and roll
                                            G        A      D
And it's all in how they scatter, tells you what the future holds

(Ending chorus)
          D                A      D                G     A   D
These old bones, these old bones, these old bones, these old bones
                           A      D                G         D
These old bones, these old bones, these old bones, these old bones
          D                A      D                G     A   D
These old bones, these old bones, these old bones, these old bones
                           A      D                G         D
These old bones, these old bones, these old bones, these old bones
          D                A      D                G     A   D
These old bones, these old bones, these old bones, these old bones ---