Forest Lawn

by Tom Paxton
sung by John Denver
from Take Me To Tomorrow (1970)

G                                           D
Oh, lay me down in forest lawn in a silver casket
              D7                              G
With golden flowers over my head in a silver basket
          C                       G                  Em
Let the drum and bugle corp play taps while cannons roar
 A               A7              D                  D7                       
Sixteen libereed employees sell souvenirs from the funeralstore

   G        D             G
I wanna go simply when I go
         B7                                Em
They'll give me a simple funeral there I know
          C              
With the casket lined in fleece
         G                       Em
And the fireworks spelling out "Rest in Peace"
    Am               D7             G    D
So take me when I'm gone to forest lawn

            G                              D
Oh, lay me down in forest lawn they understand there
                       D7                   G
They have a heavenly choir in the military band there
      C                         G                Em
Just put me in their care I'll find my comfort there
      A                     A7                  D                D7
With sixteen planes in the last salut they'll drop a cross in a parachute

   G        D             G
I wanna go simply when I go
         B7                                Em
They'll give me a simple funeral there I know
        C              
With a hundred strolling strings
     G                  Em
And topless dancers with golden wings
     Am               D7             G
Oh, take me when I'm gone to forest lawn

D7     D   
Oooh, come, come, come, come
                                A
Come to the church in the wild wood
        A7                          D   D7
Kindly leave a contribution in the pail
       G              Em            D
Be as simple and as trusting as a child would
           A             A7           D
And we'll sell you the church in the dale

           G                            D
To find a simple resting place is my desire
                               D7                   G
To lay me down with a smiling face comes a little bit higher
    C                            G                Em
my likeness cast in brass will stand in plastic gras
       A                     A7              
While hidden weights and  springs tips 
     D                   D7
it's hat to the mourners filing past

   G        D             G
I wanna go simply when I go
         B7                                Em
They'll give me a simple funeral there I know
      C
I'll lie beneath the sand
      G                 Em
With piped-in tapes of Billy Graham
     Am               D7             G
Oh, take me when I'm gone to forest lawn

        G      C        G                 D      G
Rock of ages cleft for me for a slightly higher fee
     A7               D7             G
Oh, take me when I'm gone to forest lawn