INTRO: Walk bass up from G to C
CFG
Had an apartment in the city,
CFG
Me and Loretta liked living there.
EmF
It’s been years since the kids have grown,
CG
Lives of their own, left us alone.
CFG
John and Linda live in Omaha,
CFG
Joey’s somewhere on the road.
EmF
We lost Davy in the Korean war,
CG
Still don't know what for, don't matter anymore.
CHORUS:
BbC
You know old trees just grow stronger,
BbC
Old rivers grow wider every day.
EmF
But old people they just grow lonesome
CGC
Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello.”
CFG
Me and Loretta we don't talk much now,
CFG
She sits and stares at the backdoor screen.
EmF
All the news just repeats itself
CG
Like some forgotten dream that we've both seen.
CFG
Someday I'll go and call up Rudy,
CFG
We worked together at the factory.
EmF
What’ll I tell him if he asks, “What's new?”
CG
“Nothing, what's with you? Nothing much to do.”
CHORUS:
BbC
You know old trees just grow stronger,
BbC
Old rivers grow wider every day.
EmF
But old people they just grow lonesome
CGC
Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello.”
INSTRUMENTAL: Same as Verse (with pedal steel guitar)
CFG
So if you're walking down the street sometime
CFG
Spot some hollow ancient eyes,
EmF
Please don't pass them by and stare
CGAm
Like you didn't care, say, “Hello in there, hello”
GC
Say, “Hello in there, hello”