Joe Ely (born February 9, 1947) is an Austin, Texas honky-tonk/country musician. Ely, born in Amarillo, spent his formative years from age 12 in Lubbock, Texas. Shortly after high school, in 1970, with fellow Lubbock musicians Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, he formed The Flatlanders. According to Ely, "Jimmie was like a well of country music. He knew everything about it.
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Whenever Kindness Fails Lyrics

Joe Ely

(Robert Earl Keen, Jr.)

Capo 3rd Frat !
Intro:D Bm D Bm

Verse 1:

D Bm
Crossed the desert in a dining car
DBm
In the spring of '91
DBm
Met some people drinkin' at the bar,
A
They were laughin', havin' fun

Told 'em that I hadn't heard the joke
That was so hilarious
They said that I was just a dumb cowpoke
I didn't want to make a fuss

Chorus:

G A
So I shot them down, one by one
D G
And left them 'long the rails
D
I only use my gun
ABm
Whenever kindness fails

Verse 2:

Moon was in the sign of Scorpio
The sun was at my back
I didn't know how far the train would go
Till the law would find my track

Saw the brakeman and the engineer
Drinking wine and eating brie
I asked them who would brake and who would steer
They started pointing back at me

Chorus

Solo:Repeat chords in chorus

Verse 3:

I only have a momment to explain
Just a chance to let you know
When it's time to board that train
There are 2 ways you can go.

You can ride the wind into the sun
Feel a cool wind on your face
Or you can laugh into a loaded gun
And you'll likely lose your place

Chorus:
Yeah I shot them down, one by one
And left them 'long the rails
I only use my gun
Whenever kindness fails

I shot them down, one by one
And left them 'long the rails
When I use my gun
That lonesome whistle wails

Outro:DBm (repeat)