Illegal Smile
John Prine

4/4 time:
Intro: D alternating with D and A flat-pick bass for two measures; repeat at start of each verse

     D              A       G                    D
Well I woke up this morning, things were lookin' bad
G                  D             A              D
Seems like total silence was the only friend I had
A                 G                   D   G   D
  Bowl of oatmeal tried to stare me down, and won
           A                       G              D      G  D
And it was twelve o'clock before I realized I was havin' no fun

        A7            D                G      A    D
Ah, but fortunately I had the key to escape reality

3/4 time:
    D7      G                      D
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
         A7                     D               D7
It don't cost very much, but it lasts a long while
          G                            D
Won't you please tell the man I didn't kill anyone
          A              G           |D  G|D  G|D  G (sustain)
Lord, I'm just trying to have me some fun

4/4 time
D              A        G                  D
I looked at my bankroll, it was gettin' thin
    G                       D             A               D
Sometimes it seems like the bottom is the only place I been
A                  G                  D   G    D
  Chased a rainbow down a one-way street, dead end
    A                     G              D    G    D
And all my friends turned out to be insurance salesmen

Refrain

4/4 time
D              A   G                 D
I hid in my closet   with all my overalls
     G              D                A                D
Just tryin' to get away from all the years inside my walls
A                    G                  D        G    D
  Dreamed the police heard everything I thought, what then?
A                       G                |D  |  G|D
  Went to court and the judge's name was        Hoffman


Refrain

...fun, well done, hot dog bun, my sister's a nun