Verse 1]
I was [C]lured by the rocking horse
[C]Sweets and the bualadh bos
[F]Fifty wild boys to a [C]room
[Am]Sing lamh, lamh eile, the [G]dish ran away with the [C]spoon
[C]Black shoes and stockings for those who say don't
[F]Blue is the colour out[C]side
[Am]God made the world
The [G]snake tempted Eve and she [C]died
[Em]Wild Christian brothers [Am]sharpening their leathers
[G]Learn it by heart, that's the [C]rule
[C]All I remember is [G]dreading September and [C]school
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Verse 2]
The [C]priest in confession condemns my obsession
With [F]thoughts that I do not in[C]vite
[Am]I mumble and stutter
[G]He slams down the shutter
[C]Goodnight - (Good night to you too, Father)
[C]Stainless as steel
Lord, you know how I [C]feel
Someone [F]shoot me while my soul is [C]clear
I [Am]don't think I'll last
But my [G]vow to abstain was [C]sincere
[Em]Arch-confraternity [Am]men to the fight
[G]Raise up your banners on h[C]igh
[Am]Searching for grace
[G]Securing my place when I [C]die
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Bridge]
(This part is half-spoken, half-sung - you'll just need to listen to the song.)
[G]Oh God, he kept a very close eye on me
[C]Hung round my bed in the darkness, he spied on me
[F]Caught me in the long grass so often, he died on me....
[Verse 3]
[C]Ballrooms of romance in Salthill or Mallow
[F]I stood like John Wayne by the [C]wall
[Am]Lined up like cattle, we [G]waited to do battle and [C]fall
[C]Ah you can't wine and dine her in an old Morris Minor
So [F]ask her before it's too [C]late
I [Am]danced on girls' toes - [G]accepted rejection as my [C]fate
[Em]Drink was my saviour, it [Am]made me much braver
But [G]I couldn't hold it too [C]well
I s[Am]lipped on the coach and [G]ruined my approach as I [C]fell
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Outro]
[G]Oh God, he kept a very close eye on me...
I was [C]lured by the rocking horse
[C]Sweets and the bualadh bos
[F]Fifty wild boys to a [C]room
[Am]Sing lamh, lamh eile, the [G]dish ran away with the [C]spoon
[C]Black shoes and stockings for those who say don't
[F]Blue is the colour out[C]side
[Am]God made the world
The [G]snake tempted Eve and she [C]died
[Em]Wild Christian brothers [Am]sharpening their leathers
[G]Learn it by heart, that's the [C]rule
[C]All I remember is [G]dreading September and [C]school
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Verse 2]
The [C]priest in confession condemns my obsession
With [F]thoughts that I do not in[C]vite
[Am]I mumble and stutter
[G]He slams down the shutter
[C]Goodnight - (Good night to you too, Father)
[C]Stainless as steel
Lord, you know how I [C]feel
Someone [F]shoot me while my soul is [C]clear
I [Am]don't think I'll last
But my [G]vow to abstain was [C]sincere
[Em]Arch-confraternity [Am]men to the fight
[G]Raise up your banners on h[C]igh
[Am]Searching for grace
[G]Securing my place when I [C]die
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Bridge]
(This part is half-spoken, half-sung - you'll just need to listen to the song.)
[G]Oh God, he kept a very close eye on me
[C]Hung round my bed in the darkness, he spied on me
[F]Caught me in the long grass so often, he died on me....
[Verse 3]
[C]Ballrooms of romance in Salthill or Mallow
[F]I stood like John Wayne by the [C]wall
[Am]Lined up like cattle, we [G]waited to do battle and [C]fall
[C]Ah you can't wine and dine her in an old Morris Minor
So [F]ask her before it's too [C]late
I [Am]danced on girls' toes - [G]accepted rejection as my [C]fate
[Em]Drink was my saviour, it [Am]made me much braver
But [G]I couldn't hold it too [C]well
I s[Am]lipped on the coach and [G]ruined my approach as I [C]fell
[Chorus]
And they [G]made me for better or [C]worse
The [F]fool that I [C]am or the [Am]wise man I'll [D]be
And they [G]gave me their blessings or [C]curse
It [F]wasn't their [C]fault I was [Am]me ...
[G]Not the one that you [C]see
[Outro]
[G]Oh God, he kept a very close eye on me...
