Cops

 

Written by John Stewart

 

‘Cops’ is from “The Phoenix Concerts”, RCA double lp, 1974, re-released as a single CD with two bonus tracks by Bear Family, 1990. 

Some very nice guitar playing on that song.  Good lyrics, too – doesn´t always need many words to paint a word picture!

 

“Yea, we love you when we need you,

And we hate you when we don't…”

 

That´s the way it is.  I used to play soccer years ago and we had a cop on the team.  Great guy.  He told me, “There are many unpleasant people on the force.  It´s all the more important that there are others who signed up for all the right reasons.”

 

 

 

E4

E---------

B---------

G----2----

D----2----

A----2----

G---------

 

 

(Am)                        (D7)                         (Am)

E-------------------------------------------------------------

B------------------1---------5(bend)-5(bend)-3-1--------------

G----------2-2-2---2-0-2----------------------------2-0--2-2--

D-------------------------------------------------------------

A-------O-----------------------------------------------------

E-------------------------------------------------------------

(repeat once with minor variations)

 

Black and whiter, back street fighter,

You're (D7)dirty or you're (Am)clean.

Black and whiter, shotgun rider,

(D7)Is there nothin' you ain't seen?

 

And you (C)rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway.

(Bass run D-, A- and E-string: F-E-D-C-B-A-G, to…) (Am)

 

Magnum stroker, donut joker,

(D7)You know Abel and (Am)you know Cain.

T.V. hero, school yard zero,

(D7)You got to know it's a knowin' game.

 

And you (C)rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway.

(Bass run D-, A- and E-string: F-E-D-C-B-A-G, to…)

(Am)        (D7)   (Am)         (D7) (solo on this instr. verse)

 

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway.

(Bass run D-, A- and E-string: F-E-D-C-B-A-G, to…) (Am)

 

Yea, we love you when we need you,

And we (F)hate you when we don't.

(G)You're the one who will,

And (E4)I'm the one who won't,(E) oo(Am)oooo…

 

And you (C)rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway,

(C)Rule (C/G)out on the (F)highway.

(Bass run D-, A- and E-string: F-E-D-C-B-A-G, to…) (Am)

 

© John Stewart, All Rights Reserved

 

janhauenstein@gmx.de, Charlie Woodward & Art Faller

 

1/2004