(Verse 1)
[C]The ladies of the garden club say
His home is just a disgrace to the [G]town
If the Mayor wants re-elected
He'd better pass some laws and tear it [C]down
They wanna cover it with flowers
Maybe even plant some dogwood [F]trees
I [G]guess that they've forgotten
When we were kids what that place used to [C]be
(Verse 2)
[C]I know it's just a shanty now
But Lord, that place was built with human [G]tears
For it's the home of Uncle Lem
Who was born and raised and lived there nin[C]ety years
There's not a boy in this whole town
Hasn't stopped for water at his [F]well
Or [G]sat on his porch in the evenin'
And listened to the stories that he'd [C]tell
(Chorus)
Oh, his [G]hair was the color of a cotton field
And his [F]skin was old and [C]brown
And [F]he was born in that [C]rundown shack
Before there was a [G]town
He [F]bought that shack and a piece of earth
For the [C]highest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle [G]Lem was born'd a [C]slave
(Bridge)
[C]The mayor and some ladies of the garden club
Went out to tell Uncle Lem that he'd have to find a new [G]place to live
Well, they found him there in that old broken down rockin' chair
And on an old paper bag they found his [C]will
"Now I wanna leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this town
For I remember when he a little fella, he [G]used to follow me around
Lord, I wish I had more to give to my friends that I love
But all I've got is this old shack and a piece of earth
[C]And I want it to go to the ladies of the garden club"
(Chorus)
Oh, his [G]hair was the color of a cotton field
And his [F]skin was old and [C]brown
And [F]he was born in that [C]rundown shack
Before there was a [G]town
He [F]bought that shack and a piece of earth
For the [C]highest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle [G]Lem was born'd a [C]slave
[C]The ladies of the garden club say
His home is just a disgrace to the [G]town
If the Mayor wants re-elected
He'd better pass some laws and tear it [C]down
They wanna cover it with flowers
Maybe even plant some dogwood [F]trees
I [G]guess that they've forgotten
When we were kids what that place used to [C]be
(Verse 2)
[C]I know it's just a shanty now
But Lord, that place was built with human [G]tears
For it's the home of Uncle Lem
Who was born and raised and lived there nin[C]ety years
There's not a boy in this whole town
Hasn't stopped for water at his [F]well
Or [G]sat on his porch in the evenin'
And listened to the stories that he'd [C]tell
(Chorus)
Oh, his [G]hair was the color of a cotton field
And his [F]skin was old and [C]brown
And [F]he was born in that [C]rundown shack
Before there was a [G]town
He [F]bought that shack and a piece of earth
For the [C]highest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle [G]Lem was born'd a [C]slave
(Bridge)
[C]The mayor and some ladies of the garden club
Went out to tell Uncle Lem that he'd have to find a new [G]place to live
Well, they found him there in that old broken down rockin' chair
And on an old paper bag they found his [C]will
"Now I wanna leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this town
For I remember when he a little fella, he [G]used to follow me around
Lord, I wish I had more to give to my friends that I love
But all I've got is this old shack and a piece of earth
[C]And I want it to go to the ladies of the garden club"
(Chorus)
Oh, his [G]hair was the color of a cotton field
And his [F]skin was old and [C]brown
And [F]he was born in that [C]rundown shack
Before there was a [G]town
He [F]bought that shack and a piece of earth
For the [C]highest price to pay
His mom was bought and sold there
Uncle [G]Lem was born'd a [C]slave
