G -     320033
Em -    022000
F#m -   244222
F#/A# - x143xx
C -     x32010


[Intro]
D G Bm A  x6


[Verse 1]
    D                           Bm
The portrait of a real American boy
                 Em
He keeps his insecurities at bay
            A              F#/A#
The King of Belle Vernon P.A.
           D
He's got a car his friends
                       Bm
and him take up to the lake
              Em
To narrowly escape this town's
Em
like glue they say  Cause
A                     F#/A#
once you're here you stay
    D             G    Bm   A   D  Bm A
The portrait of a real American boy


[Chorus 1]
D        F#m        Bm
  And it don't come easy
          G          F#m
He's just working as hard
      A              D
as he can But you'll never
F#m         Bm
know if you don't let go
   Em
Of you to find your
A         D G Bm A    D G Bm A
own identity    identity


[Verse 2]
    D                          Bm
The boy became a real American man
                 Em
The product of a past that makes him mad
             A               F#/A#
And now he's turned into his dad
         D
He still works at the gas station
      Bm
doing tune-ups "Man I think
  Em
I had a shot," he'd say
         A                    F#/A#
"if only I could only catch a break"
    D             G    Bm   A   D  Bm A
The portrait of a real American boy


[Chorus 2]
D        F#m        Bm
  And it don't come easy
          G          F#m
He's just working as hard
      A              D
as he can But you'll never
F#m         Bm
know if you don't let go
   Em
Of you to find your
A         D
own identity
       F#m        Bm
And it don't come easy
          G          F#m
He's just working as hard
      A              D
as he can But you'll never
F#m         Bm
know if you don't let go
   Em
Of you to find your
A         D G Bm A    D G Bm A
own identity    identity


[Bridge]
G                 D
  What's all this for?
            Bm           C
What are we ever working towards?
    G               D
The jobs and lovers always came
    Bm  C     G           A
and went The story of his life
            Bm             Bm
is etched into a vinyl And on
              C
both sides he hears his famous
A           C
friends And now it all makes
A    G Em   A
sense  yeah yeah yeah


[Chorus 3]
D        F#m        Bm
  And it don't come easy
          G          F#m
He's just working as hard
      A              D
as he can But you'll never
F#m         Bm
know if you don't let go
   Em
Of you to find your
A         D
own identity
       F#m        Bm
And it don't come easy
          G          F#m
He's just working as hard
      A              D
as he can But you'll never
F#m         Bm
know if you don't let go
   Em
Of you to find your
A         D G Bm A    D G Bm A
own identity    identity