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