One, two, three, four!
C, G, F
C, G, F, Fm
Am, G
(no guitar during this part)
I was kidnapped real young by the sweet taste of love
Built a fondness for things that just weren't good enough
I cradled the crow, always shooed off the dove
Which tagged me a nave son
[C]So the fortunate kids, yeah they left on their lights
And they [G]stuck up their noses and [F]started some fights
Their [C]parents all cackled at dirt on my hands
While my [F]father was slaving, my [Fm]mother explained it
Am (wait a little bit then strum G real fast)
Sometimes that's just how it is
So my [C]sister went kissing a maple-skinned boy
Finally [G]held up her fists, said [F]"I'm done being coy!"
And the [C]neighbourhood boys started [G]buzzing with joy
We [F]finally had front-page [Fm]news
Al[C]though it was sad, I couldn't help but laugh
Such [G]ridiculous hate in the [F]hot summer sweat
I [C]laid on my back, let the [G]punk record spin
The [F]stomping guitar, it was [Fm]shooting out stars
It [Am]all went to my [G]heart, yeah some [F]rainbows in the [Fm]dark
So [C]I called up danger, my [F]friends and some strangers
They [C]stumbled and wavered, one [F]called me his saviour
They [C]slipped me the blood in the [F]whole of the vial
But [G]I didn't feel them [F]change
Am, G ---don't miss this little interlude here---
Then [C]I met a man with a fist for a hand
Held me [G]flat on my back, taught me [F]how to give in
Some [C]phrases were shot, pretty [G]roses got tossed
The [F]gift of a fat-lipped [Fm]grin
Now they're [C]drilling my teeth while I'm soiling sheets
With my [G]lover, she's counting the [F]diamonds on rings
And [C]even when truth doesn't [G]help with the sting
[F]Out of no numbers, some [Fm]harsh looking colour
You [Am]pull them out, feel they're [G]changed
No [F]need for a thousand [Fm]cranes
So [C]I thank the city, the [F]lights that it's spinning
The [C]friends that I have and the [F]shoes we?re not shining
The [C]drunk horn?s so violent, all [F]spinning out sounds
G --- it sounds like there is no chord change here, but I am not sure ---
But the colour?s so vibrant , the colour?s so loud
The [C]newly-born crying [F]realizing what life is
In the [C]eyes of my grandpa, the [F]right people dying
The [C]see-saw of love, its [F]rickety bounce
G -- again with no chord change' --
The feeling of coming, the feeling of going
The [D]mother, the child, the [G]tame and the wild
The [D]sleeping in minor, the [G]gold leaf, the tire
The [D]crooked, the straight, [G]all the hip and the fake
Oh, I'm [F]finally feeling the stitching of beautiful [Fm]seams
[C]Sometimes you just can't [F]hold back the [G]river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
[F]Hold back the [G]river, [F]hold back the [G]river, [F]hold back the [G]river
end with
F, Fm, Am
C, G, F
C, G, F, Fm
Am, G
(no guitar during this part)
I was kidnapped real young by the sweet taste of love
Built a fondness for things that just weren't good enough
I cradled the crow, always shooed off the dove
Which tagged me a nave son
[C]So the fortunate kids, yeah they left on their lights
And they [G]stuck up their noses and [F]started some fights
Their [C]parents all cackled at dirt on my hands
While my [F]father was slaving, my [Fm]mother explained it
Am (wait a little bit then strum G real fast)
Sometimes that's just how it is
So my [C]sister went kissing a maple-skinned boy
Finally [G]held up her fists, said [F]"I'm done being coy!"
And the [C]neighbourhood boys started [G]buzzing with joy
We [F]finally had front-page [Fm]news
Al[C]though it was sad, I couldn't help but laugh
Such [G]ridiculous hate in the [F]hot summer sweat
I [C]laid on my back, let the [G]punk record spin
The [F]stomping guitar, it was [Fm]shooting out stars
It [Am]all went to my [G]heart, yeah some [F]rainbows in the [Fm]dark
So [C]I called up danger, my [F]friends and some strangers
They [C]stumbled and wavered, one [F]called me his saviour
They [C]slipped me the blood in the [F]whole of the vial
But [G]I didn't feel them [F]change
Am, G ---don't miss this little interlude here---
Then [C]I met a man with a fist for a hand
Held me [G]flat on my back, taught me [F]how to give in
Some [C]phrases were shot, pretty [G]roses got tossed
The [F]gift of a fat-lipped [Fm]grin
Now they're [C]drilling my teeth while I'm soiling sheets
With my [G]lover, she's counting the [F]diamonds on rings
And [C]even when truth doesn't [G]help with the sting
[F]Out of no numbers, some [Fm]harsh looking colour
You [Am]pull them out, feel they're [G]changed
No [F]need for a thousand [Fm]cranes
So [C]I thank the city, the [F]lights that it's spinning
The [C]friends that I have and the [F]shoes we?re not shining
The [C]drunk horn?s so violent, all [F]spinning out sounds
G --- it sounds like there is no chord change here, but I am not sure ---
But the colour?s so vibrant , the colour?s so loud
The [C]newly-born crying [F]realizing what life is
In the [C]eyes of my grandpa, the [F]right people dying
The [C]see-saw of love, its [F]rickety bounce
G -- again with no chord change' --
The feeling of coming, the feeling of going
The [D]mother, the child, the [G]tame and the wild
The [D]sleeping in minor, the [G]gold leaf, the tire
The [D]crooked, the straight, [G]all the hip and the fake
Oh, I'm [F]finally feeling the stitching of beautiful [Fm]seams
[C]Sometimes you just can't [F]hold back the [G]river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
Sometimes you just can't hold back the river
[F]Hold back the [G]river, [F]hold back the [G]river, [F]hold back the [G]river
end with
F, Fm, Am
