G            Em
By the time I was thirteen
G                 Em
I started taking shape
G                       Em
At eighteen I was so beautiful
             G                 Em
That the strangers started to gape


             G                  Em
They said "Enter the ultimate contest
                G             Em
If you're as gorgeous as you seem"
              G       D       C       D
They said "Please, please, please, please
Em
Be our American dream."


     Am                           Am/G
But late that night beneath the grieving moon
            Am/F#              Am/F
There's a dazzling sight in my motel room
         Em                   Emmaj7
For a grunting judge with his bulging eyes
  Em7                   Em7/13
I give my all for his cherished prize
    C   G/B  Am  G
Oh why
    D    D/C  G/B
oh why?


 D          G
I'm Miss America
  D       G
Crying on TV
  C             G/B
Silver clad in satin rags
        Em                  Am
But everything's where it should be
    D           C       D           G    Em  G  Em  G  Em  G  Em
Oh say can you see, ah say can you see


       G          Em           G      Em
After they showed me the game ball
 G           Em       G       Em
They told me put on weight
 G           Em        G      Em
They told me I'd be powerful
 G           Em       G      Em
They told me I'd be great


         G   Em             G   Em
And my Uncle Sam he would coach me
      G    Em     G     Em
His helmet on my head
                 G       D       C       D
And They said "Please, please, please, please
  Em
Please win and beat the spread


        Am                      Am/G
But the new game plan that the owners had made
          Am/F#                   Am/F
Meant that win or lose there would be a trade
         Em            Emmaj7
For the team's become a real gold mine
         Em7                   Em7/13
And the kid's sold off for the bottom line
    C   G/B  Am  G
Oh why
    D    D/C  G/B
oh why?


D      G       D        G
Mr. America sweating on TV
       C                   G/B
The winners joy from the battered boy
        Em                  Am
For everything's where it should be
    D           C       D           G    Em  G  Em  G  Em  G  Em
Oh say can you see, ah say can you see


    G          Em     G        Em
At last we've come together
           G         Em    G    Em
Call it marriage or civil war
   G         Em      G     Em
If it brings us to battle babe
    G       Em          G     Em
It must be worth our fighting for


         G    Em       G      Em
Though today came up cloudy
       G       Em    G
There will be other days
              G       D       C       D
They said "Please, please, please, please
Em
What else is there to say?"


           Am                 Am/G
But in a plywood spread by a plastic stream
         Am/F#                Am/F
And in separate beds with a borrowed dream
            Em                  Emmaj7
And with questions wide and the silence deep
   Em7                  Em7/13
We take two pills so at last we'll sleep
    C   G/B  Am  G
Oh why
    D    D/C  G/B
oh why?


 D              G
Mr. and Mrs. America
 D             G
Our story's on TV
 C                    G/B
Can you hear canned laughter
        Em                  Am
For everything's where it should be
    D           C       D           G    Em  G  Em  G  Em  G  Em
Oh say can you see, ah say can you see.


           G    Em      G         Em
Well, my little boy he told me something
 G        Em     G     Em
Just the other night
       G     Em        G    Em
He whispered it as I kissed him
       G        Em        G     Em
Before I turned out the light


         G        Em       G      Em
And of course he said it simple
    G      Em     G
As only children can
          G       D      C      D
He said "Daddy, daddy, daddy, please
               G     Em
I'm ready to dream again"