Over Alameda Chords

Lyrics & chords

[Intro 1]
[Am][G][C][F][Am][G][C][F]
[Am]
[G]Mama'd tell me of her

[Verse 1]
[C]
[Am]hopes
What she [G]hoped to leave be[C]hind
[Am]And what she t[G]hought that [C]she would find
Out in California
[F]

[Verse 2]
[Am]She'd talk about[G] Mississippi
[C]Sti[Am]ll don't know how[G] it is[C]
[Am]Any place could be w[G]orse than this[C]
It's hard to believe
[F]

[Verse 3]
She'd say, [G]"Baby, if I [Em]could
"You know I'd [Am]buy us a[F] home
[Em]Over [G]Alameda
Where the green grass [Am]grows"
[C]

[Interlude 1]
[F][Am][G][C][F]
[Am]
Now when [G]she left the Delta

[Verse 4]
[C][Am][G]
[C]It [Am]was 1966
Come to Los [G]Angeles
[C]She was nine years [F]old

[Verse 5]
[Am]And there was work[G] to be had[C]
[Am]Grandaddy work[G]ed at Fi[C]restone
[Am]Made enough to b[G]uy a home
[C]Out on Wilmington Avenue[F]

[Verse 6]
[F]
Then [Am]the jobs [G]moved [C]out
[Am]Grandaddy died and we lo[G]st the h[C]ouse
[Am]Moved into the J[G]ordan Downs[C]
Been here ever [F]since

[Verse 7]
[G]Mama'd say there's
somethings [Em]better
I'd say I [Am]know that there [F]is
[Em]Over Alame[G]da
Where the white folks [Am]live[G]

[Interlude 2]
[C][F][Am][G][C]
[F][Am][F][G][C][F][Am][F][G]
[C][F]

[Verse 8]
[F]97th and [Am]Lowell
[C]It'[Em]s all I'v[C]e ever known[G][C]
[Am]I'm nineteen[G] years old[C]
Just yesterday
[F]

[Verse 9]
[Am]
From [G]what I have [C]seen[Am]
[G]All I've dis[C]covered
Is there's nothing [Am]for a b[G]oy o[C]f color
But to fight
[F]

[Verse 10]
[G]
And I'l keep on fight[Em]ing
'Cause [Am]they ain't worked me [F]yet
Going [Em]over [G]Alameda

[Outro 1]
Like Mama said
[Am][C][F][Am][G][C]