Charlie O'Neill

I can see your red dress, glistening in the night
I can feel your sweet talking wearing at my bones
All the battered farm oafs talk of your delights,
but you wouldn't be around when I got home.

I won't spend my Hard Earned Dollars on you
I know I'd find you loving in my bed
I won't spend my Hard Earned Dollars on you
And end up putting bullets in your head.

I admit you're young and pretty your hair is awful long,
After the Wilson's husking party you showed me how to love.
Every night at mid-night babe, your drunk and at my door.
No, I ain't loving no she-wolf no more.

I am going to ride the old 95
Make my way across the land and stay alive.
Ride that train across the plain, down the line.
Oh yes I'm going to do it this time.

I can hear her laughter as she's pouring down the gin.
I salt my beer with my tears when Ben comes stumbling in.
She's whining for another man and moving toward the door.
No, I ain't loving no she-wolf no more.

NOTES ON SONG WRITING

This song was created in 1971. I had great fun writing this tune.
By telling the tale of a tormented beaten down cowboy and the she-wolf of a girlfriend he had. I managed to insert a few funny, and real references too. For instance; the 'battered farm oafs' were actually my brother Dennis, Roger Reilly and Tim Walsh, the roadies for The Blue Ox Band. By the way, they referred to them selves as oafs, and I think they appreciated being mentioned in the song. As was friend Willie Schoellkopf mentioned in the line 'salt my beer with my tears, when Ben comes stumbling in…' Ben, of course was Willie's childhood sometimes nickname. As what of the she-wolf you ask? Who is she? Well, Ben and the oafs know who she is. But since there is reference to guns, bullets and murder, we'll just leave it at that.

This version of the song was recorded by the Thirds at The University of Fredonia NY in 1982 and appeared on The Thirds album, 'Songs from the City Line'. Hard Earned Dollars is played in the key of G chord position, capo'd at the fifth fret (actual key of C).

Download The Thirds with Rick Karneth on fiddle and Jim Brucato on guitar before he switched to bass, performing 'Hard Earned Dollars' live on a WGR Buffalo TV program called 'Open Rap' 1983.

CHORDS WITH LYRIC

Lyric with chords;  Guitar capo V


Intro;     D     Fadd9    D    Am7    D    Fadd9    D    Am7


            D                                       Am
Verse; I can see your red dress, glistening in the night
        D                                           Cadd9
        I can feel your sweet talking wearing at my bones
        D                                       Am7
       All the battered farm oafs talk of your delights, but you
        D                    Cadd9                           D
        wouldn't be around when I got home.



              G                           C                               G          Fadd9 C
Chorus;  I won't spend my Hard Earned Dollars on you
           Am                        D                                         G  C
         I know I'd find you loving in my bed
         G                            C                               G         Fadd9 C
         I won't spend my Hard Earned Dollars on you
             Am                    D                      Fadd9 C   G   Fadd9  C  G
          And end up putting bullets in your head.

              D                                                        Am7
Verse;   I admit you're young and pretty your hair is awful long,
        D                                                           Cadd9
        After the Wilson's husking party you showed me how to love
        D                                                        Am7                     
        Every night at mid-night babe, your drunk and at my door
        D                               Cadd9          D
        No, I ain't loving no she-wolf no more.

             
               Em                 A7              D C G
Bridge;  I am going to ride the old ninety five 
           Em                  A7                           D    C  G
          Make my way across the land and stay alive.
           Em                  A7                     D       C    G
          Ride that train across the plain, down the line
           E7                                               A7
          Oh yes I'm going to do it this time


Solo;    C  G  C  G  C  G  Fadd9 C  G  Fadd9  C  G 

         D  Fadd9   D  Am7  D  Fadd9  D  Am7



              D                                               Am7
Verse;  I can hear her laughter as she's pouring down the gin
         D                                                    Cadd9.
         I salt my beer with my tears when Ben comes stumbling in.
          D                                                    Am7
        She's whining for another man and moving toward the door.
          D                             Cadd9            D
         No, I ain't loving no she-wolf no more.

Copyright 1982 and 2006