Pity The Child Cifras

[Verse 1]
G7sus             G7
When I was nine I learned survival
G7sus         G7         C
Taught myself not to care
A7sus           A7
I was my single good companion
A7sus        A7        Dm
Taking my comfort there
Bb/D            Eb                   Cm
Up in my room I planned my conquests
F     F/E          Dm          Bb/D    Eb
On my own -- never asked for a helping hand
   F/A            Bb    Bb/A
No one would understand
G            G7/F        Cm/Eb    G7-9/D      Cm
I never asked    the pair     who fought below
                       Cm    Cm7-5/Gb Bbsus4 Bb
Just in case they said "No."
 
[Verse 2]
G7sus              G7
Pity the child who has ambition
G7sus              G7      C
Knows what he wants  to do
A7sus                  A7
Knows that he'll never fit the system
A7sus         A7    Dm
Others expect him to
Bb/D               Eb              Cm
Pity the child who knew his parents
F          F/E               Dm              Bb/D Eb
 Saw their faults, saw their love die before his  eyes
  F/A               Bb    Bb/A
Pity the child that wise
G        G7/F        Cm/Eb      G7-9/D         Cm
He never asked "Did I     cause your distress?"
                       Cm    Cm7-5/Gb
Just in case they said "Yes."
 
[Chorus]
Bb                               Ab
When I was twelve my father moved out
Ab          Absus               Ab/C Eb
Left with a whimper -- not with a    shout
Bb           Bbsus               Bb Ab
I didn't miss     him -- he made it perfectly clear
Ab          Absus          Ab Eb
I was a fool     and probably queer
Ebm                                  Ebm
Fool that I was I thought this would bring
Ebm7              Ab/Eb        Ebm
Those he had left closer together
 
Ebm                          Bb
She made her move the moment he crawled away
          Cm7-5 Bb/D Ebm  Bb/D Bb
I was the last  the  wo - man  told
          Cm7-5 Bb/D Ebm F   Bb
She never let   her  bed get cold
              Cm7-5 Bb/D Ebm  F  Bb
Someone moved in -- I    shut my door
           Cm7-5 Bb/D Ebm  Fm7 Gb   Ab  Gb Ab Bb
Someone to treat her  just the same way as be-fore.
 
[Verse 3]
G7sus              G7
I took the road of least resistance
G7sus        G7       C
I had my game  to play
A7sus                A7
I had the skill, and more -- the hunger
A7sus      A7    Dm
Easy to get  away
Bb/D                Eb      F/Eb
Pity the child with no such weapons
F          F/E     Dm                 Bb/D     Eb
 No defense,  no escape from the ties that bind
F/A                 Bb Bb/A
Always a step behind
G7            G7/F   Cm/Eb    G7-9/D  Cm
I never called    to tell her all I'd done
               Cm Bbm/Db Ebm
I was only her son!
 
[Instrumental]
Ebm Ebm7 Ab/Eb Ab/Eb Ebm
Ebm Bbsus4 Bb Bb
 
[Verse 4]
G7sus              G7
Pity the child but not forever
G7sus          G7     C
Not if he stays  that way
A7sus              A7
He can get all he ever wanted
A7sus         A7       Dm
If he's prepared to pay
Dm           Eb               F/Eb
Pity instead the careless mother
F
  What she missed,
         Dm                Bb/D Eb
What she lost when she let me   go
    Cm                F/A   Fm/Ab
And I wonder does she know
G7              Fadd9/A    G7-9/B      Cm Cm/D
I never call. A crazy thing       to do
Cm/Eb                        Cm7-5
     Just in case she said, "Who?"
 
[Outro]
Bb Bb/Ab Eb Bb
Bb Bb/Ab Eb Bb
Bb Bb/Ab Eb Bb
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