By Jim Croce Chords by Alfredo Alex G. General Intro: C-G-Am-F-C-G-G7-C-G C G Well outta Southern Illinois Am F Come a down-home country boy C He??s gonna make it in the city G F-C-G Playin?? guitar in the studio C G Oh well, he hadn??t been there an hour Am F When he met a Broadway flow??r C You know she took him for his money G F C-G And she left him in a cheap hotel C G Oh well, it??s easy for you to see Am F That that country boy is me C G F C-G Say and how??m I gonna ever break the news to the folks back home? C G Well, I was gonna be a great success Am F C Things sure ended up a mess G F C-G But in the process I got messed up to Refrain: C F G Hello, mama and dad I had to call collect C Em Am Am/G Cause I ain??t got a cent to my name C F Well, I??m sleepin?? in a hotel doorway D G And tonight they say it??s gonna rain C Em Am Am/G And if you??d only send me some money C Em Am Am/G I??ll be back on my feet again C Em Am Am/G Send it in care of the Sunday Mission F C C-Em-Am-Am/G-F-G6-C Box Number Ten C G Well, back in Southern Illinois Am F C They??re still worryin?? ??bout their boy G F C-G But this boy??s goin?? home soon??s he gets the fare C G Because as soon as I got my bread Am F I got a pipe upside my head C You know they took me in an alley G F C-G Took my money and my guitar too Repeat refrain End chords: C ?? Em ?? Am - Am/G ?? F ?? G - C