C
She could dance and slow you 'bout
  F
Shuffle to some cowboy hustle
C
How she made those trophy buckles 
  G
shine, shine, shine.
C
Wild-eyed in Mexican silver
  F
Trickin' dumb old cousin Willard
C                      G
into thinking that he got her this time.

  F                                     C
   Hill country, honky-tonkin' Rita Ballou
                                                   G
   Every beer joint in town has played a fool for you.
  F                                    C
   Back slidin', barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
                                      G               C
   Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you.


She's a rawhide ropin' velvet mixture
 F                             
Walkin', talkin' Texas texture
C                             G
High-timing, barroom fixture kind of a girl.
C
She's a queen of the cowboys
 F                                     
Look at old Willard grinning now, boys
C                           G                  C
You'd have thought there's less fools in this world

  F                                     C
   Hill country, honky-tonkin' Rita Ballou
                                                   G
   Every beer joint in town has played a fool for you.
  F                                    C
   Back slidin', barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
                                      G               C
   Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you.

  C   F   G   C   F   G   C

 F
Good luck Willard, and here's to ya
     Am                                  G
And here's to Rita, I hope she'll do ya right all night
                                  C
But I wish I was a fool in your shoes 

  F                                     C
   Hill country, honky-tonkin' Rita Ballou
                                                   G
   Every beer joint in town has played a fool for you.
  F                                    C
   Back slidin', barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
                                      G               C
   Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you.
            F             C              G               C
   Lord, I wish I was in Texas, I would ride a bull for you.