Old Man Tell Me

D
I've seen the old man sittin' round
The courthouse square back home in 
town
G                     Em          
Talkin' about the big war, back in
 G  A
 1943
D
Sayin' how much good it's done
Medals gleamin' in the sun
G             Em
Cussin' at my long hair
       G             A
And my talk of bein' free.

      D
Their vision like their battle scars
   A
Of other wars has faded
         G
Like the colors on the ribbons
                              D
From the battles that they've won
   G
If there's one thing I've learned 
it's this
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    D                     Bm
You just can't shake hand with a 
fist
                  Em            
And I once did my talkin' with a 
 A
gun.

    D
And old man I know what you've seen
    A
But yours is not the only dream
G         F#m  Em              
I have to believe in something 
G               A
more than yesterday
D
Let it die just like the past
A                 G
I believe there's hope at last
                              A
Old man, did you ever have to pray
                             D
Old man, can you show me the way.

D
He shakes his head from time to time
And rambles somewhere in his mind
G                 Em
Mumblin' bout the civil war
    G                  A
And how we should have won
D
Settin' up his battle plans
On checker boards at his command
G                Em               
Watchin' all his gallant kings go 
G             A
fallen one by one.

    D
And "son he'd say there's not much 
time
For you to straighten out your mind
G                            Em  
But you never listen, to the 
            A
things I try to say
    D
And I just turn my head and cry
Never understanding why
G                Em
He'd set up that checkerboard
A
When he knew I couldn't play.