C ~ ~ C
Em Am
- C
1. I knew a man Bojangles
and he'd dance for you
F G
in
worn out shoes,
C Em Am - C
the
silver hair, a ragged shirt and baggy
pants
F G
that
old soft shoe.
F C E Am - C - D
He'd jump so high,
he’d jump so high,
G -
G7
then
he'd lightly touch down.
Am Em - Am Em C - Em - Am - C
- F - G
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles,
dance !
C Em Am - C
2. I met him in a cell in New Orleans,
F - G
I was down and out.
C Em Am - C
He looked at me to be the eyes
of age
F G
as he
spoke right out.
F C
E Am - C - D
He talked of life, he talked
of life,
G - G7
then he laughed and stepped
his leg a step.
Am
Em -
Am Em C
- Em - Am - C - F - G
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles,
dance !
C
Em Am
- C
2. He said the name Bojangles, then he danced a lick
F G
all
across the cell.
C Em Am
- C
He grabbed his pants for a
better stance,
F
- G
oh, he jumped so high and clicked off his heels.
F C E Am -
C
He let go laugh, he let go
laugh,
D G
- G7
shook
back his clothes all around.
Am Em - Am Em C
- Em - Am
C - F - G
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance ! Yeah, dance !
C
Em Am
- C
3. He danced for those at minstrel shows and county fairs,
F G
throughout
the South.
C Em Am
C
He spoke with tears of 15 years
how his dog 'n him
F G
just travelled
all about.
F C E Am
- C
His dog up and died, he up and
died,
D G - G7
and after
20 years he still grieves.
Am Em - Am Em C
- Em - Am - C - F - G
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles, dance !
C
Em Am
- C
4. He said, I dance now at every chance in honky tonks,
F - G
for drinks and tips.
C
Em Am
- C
But most of the time I spend
behind these county bars,
F G
'cause I
drinks a bit.
F C E
Am
He shook his head, and then he
shook his head,
C
D G -
G7
I heard someone ask him,
"Please !"
Am
Em -
Am Em C - Em - Am - C - F - G
Mr. Bojangles, Mr. Bojangles,
da...............................nce !
C - Em - Am - C - F - G
C - Em - Am - C - F
- G
Da..............................nce ! Da.................................nce ....
(Bob Dylan)