Old Joe

(The Curtains of Old Joe’s House)

My daddy made his living in a little southern town
And after school was over I would help him with his rounds
He'd sit there in his pick-up truck while I wore out my shoes
But he always walked beside me when I went up to Old Joe's
Like all the other kids in town I'd never seen his face
Though I used to leave his groceries at the back door of his place
And I knew somebody lived there 'cause next morning they'd be gone
But the curtains of Old Joe's house were always tightly drawn

They say that in his younger days he loved another man,
When that small town started talking his friend died by his own hands
There was whispering among the women, hard talk amongst the men
But the curtains of Old Joe's house were never pulled again

I could tell you where this happened 'cause I think you ought to know
That right there where you're living there are people like Old Joe
For each of us has secrets that we keep on the backroom shelves
Keep them hidden from our neighbours and often from ourselves
But everybody's got the right to be the way they are
If you're not hurting someone else then you've not gone too far
So before you start to criticise the lives that others lead
Take a good look in the mirror and be sure of what you see

They say that in his younger days he loved another man,
And what went on between them, no-one there could understand
There was whispering among the women, hard talk amongst the men
But the curtains of Old Joe's house were never pulled again

Si Kahn

Guitar chords for Old Joe

   C                        G             C
My daddy made his living in a little southern town
    F                          C                 G
And after school was over I would  help him with his rounds
    F                                                 C
He'd sit there in his pick up truck, while I wore out my shoes
                                   G             C
But he always walked beside me when I went up to old Joe's
                                G              C
Like all the other kids in town I'd never seen his face
       F                                C                G
Though I used to leave his groceries at the back door of his place
    F                                                 C
And I knew somebody lived there 'cos next morning they'd be gone
                                    G             C
But the curtains of old Joe's house were always tightly drawn
     G                            F            C
They say that in his younger days he loved another man
                                                            G
When that small town started talking his friend died by his own hand
          C                           F                 C
There was whispering among the women, hard talk amongst the men
                                      G            C
But the curtains of Old Joe's house were never pulled again