Intro:
E B7 E
G 4
B 5 7 7 5 4 5
E 4
E B7
Oh, lay me down in Forest Lawn in a silver casket,
B7 E
Put golden flowers over my head in a silver basket.
A E E/Eb C#
Let the drum and bugle corps blow taps while cannons roar,
F# B7
Let sixteen liv'ried employees pass out souvenirs from the funeral store.
E B7 E
I want to go simply, when I go,
G# C#m
And they'll give me a simple fun'ral there, I know,
A
With a casket lined in fleece,
E E/Eb C#
And fireworks spelling out "Rest In Peace."
F# B7 E B7
Oh, take me, when I'm gone, to Forest Lawn.
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/john_denver/forest_lawn_crd.html ]
E B7
Oh, lay me down in Forest Lawn – they understand there,
B7 E
And they have a heavenly choir and a military band there.
E E/Eb C#
Oh, just put me in their care and I'll find my comfort there,
F# B7
With sixteen planes in a last salute, dropping a cross in a parachute.
E B7 E
I want to go simply, when I go,
G# C#m
And they'll give me a simple fun'ral there, I know,
A
With a hunderd strolling strings,
E E/Eb C#
And topless dancers in golden wings,
F# B7 E F#
Oh, take me, when I'm gone, to Forest Lawn ...
B
Oh, come, come, come, come,
F#
Come to the church in the wildwood,
F#7 B B7
Kindly leave a contribution in the pail.
E B
Be as simple and as trusting as a child would,
F# B
And we'll sell you the church in the dale.
E B7
To find a simple resting place is my desire,
B7 E
To lay me down with a smiling face comes a little bit higher.
A E E/Eb C#
My likeness, done in brass, will stand in plastic grass,
F# B7
And weights and hidden springs will tip its hat to the mourners filing past.
E B7 E
I want to go simply, when I go,
G# C#m
And they'll give me a simple fun'ral there, I know.
A
I'll sleep beneath the sand,
E E/Eb C#
With piped-in tapes of Billy Graham.
F# B7 E
Oh, take me, when I'm gone, to Forest Lawn.
E A E B7 E
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, for a slightly higher fee.
F# B7 E A E
Oh, take me, when I'm gone, to Forest Lawn.
A E (optional E7 for flourish)
Amen
