Then Came The Children

C  Am  C  Am

[Verse 1]
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come gather around my friends
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I'll tell you about a minstrel band
G
Of children in their witches hats
C
Painting pictures with the pipes of 
pan

[Verse 2]
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How a young boy and his sister 
played some tunes
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Upon a whistle made of tin
G
And led me through the flower 
gardens
C
Laughing at the postman's stubby 
chin

[Verse 3]
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And in my dizzy stupor
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I was trying to forfeit all I'd 
Dm
known
Continues after the ad
G
And listen to that french horn music
C
that could swirl me in a magic all 
it's own

[Verse 4]
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But somewhere in the distance
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You and I, we fought our monsters to
Dm
 a draw
G
It was in those days of books and 
wine
C
With Ferlin Getty grasping for a 
straw

[Verse 5]
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And out along the highways
  C             Am           F  C
We journeyed far to find that mystic
 Dm
 smile
G
Chasing down identities
C
My God we must have run a million 
miles

[Verse 6]
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So we can teach the children
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Nothing, nothing but survival in the
Dm
 desert bare
G
They can teach us how to laugh
C
How to love and tie bright ribbons 
in our hair

[Verse 7]
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So play for us you children
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Tinkle bells and rhyme the purple, 
Dm
greens and blues
G
Think of us as fighting fools
C
Who somehow stumbled through this 
life loving you

[Verse 8]
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Lets sing children sing
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Love all the purples greens and 
Dm
blues
G
we'll all think over
C
how we wintered through the seasons 
loving you