C                                                        
      Folks said I turned crazy when I turned fifteen.
                          C7       F     
      As I drifted from wild to mean.
           G7                                                        
      I bruised up my knuckles and carried my pride,
                                     C                                 
      Like smoke from some hauling machine.
                                                                                              
      But it's funny the changes time makes in a man,
                           C7      F                                       
      When he wakes up after the fight.
                                            C                        
      Now I’ve settled right down in this quiet old town.
                 G                       C                              
      And I've traded my black hat for white.


          C                                                                         
      As rounder’s would go, well I'd dress for the show.
                                    G7                                     
      And love was a rose in the night.
                                                                             
      A game here and there that I never played fair.
                                       C                           
      And I never backed down from a fight.
                                                                                              
      But it's funny the changes time makes in a man,
                           C7         F                                  
      When he wakes up alone in the night.
                                            C                        
      Now I’ve settled right down in this quiet old town.
                 G7                      C                               
      And I’ve traded my black hat for white.


             F                                                        
      I've traded my black hat for white,
                     C                                                   
      Guess you could say I saw the light.
                  G7                                                     
      I've sung all the blues and there's no more to prove.
                                         C                          
      And I've traded my black hat for white.


        Change to Key of D

           D                                                               
     Now I've give up on barrooms and fast moving cars,
                                       A7                               
     And angels that spend half the night.
                                                                           
     I've got a good job and a great bunch of kids,
                                     D                                    
     And I'm real content with my life.
                                                                                    
     Yea it's funny the changes time makes in a man,
                                          G                      
     When he wakes up in love with his wife.
                                            D                         
     And I've settled right down in this quiet old town,
                 A7                      D                                
     And I've traded my black hat for white.


              G                                                                 
     I've traded my black hat for white,
              D                                                             
     Guess you could say I saw the light.
              A7                                                         
     I've sung all the blues and there's no more to prove.
                                         D                           
     And I’ve traded my black hat for white.

             G                                                               
     I've traded my black hat for white,
              D                                                             
     Guess you could say I saw the light.
              A7                                                             
     I've sung all the blues and there's no more to prove.
                                         D                           
     And I’ve traded my black hat for white.

        
                 A7                                                          
     I've paid all the dues, and there's nothing to lose
                                         D                           
     Yea I've traded my black hat for white.

©  Francis H. Peters
SOCAN