Loudon Wainwright III – A Father And A Son (Guitar)

       D                     A        Bm
When I was your age I was just like you,

        G                        D
And just look at me now; I'm sure you do.

                         A          Bm
But your grandfather was just as bad

       G                      D
And you should have heard him trash his dad.

                          A
Life's no picnic, that's a given:

   G                      D
My mom's mom died when my mom was seven;

                      A      Bm
My mom's father was a tragic guy,

    G                       D
But he was so distant and nobody knows why.

     Em                    F#m
Now, your mother's family, you know them

D  G       D                 G                    D
   Each and every one a gem, Each and every one a gem.

      D              A      Bm
When I was your age I was a mess

     G                   D
On a bad day I still am, I guess.

         D                 A          Bm
I think I know what you're going through

G                      D
Everything changes but nothing is new.

      D                      Bm
And I know that I'm miserable can't you see?

  G                   D
I just want you to be just like me.

                A        Bm
Boys grow up to be grown men

         G                    D
And then men change back into boys again.

        Em                 F#m
You're starting up and I'm winding down;

          G                      D
Ain't it big enough for us both in this town?

         G                 D
Say it's big enough for us both in this town.

     D                          Em       F#m
When I was your age I thought I hated my dad

             D                      D
And that the feeling was a mutual one that we had;

   D                 A       Bm
We fought each other day and night:

      G                    D
I was always wrong; he was always right.

    Em                                F#m
But he had the power and he needed to win;

      G                      D
His life half over, mine about to begin.

A               Bm
I'm not sure about that Oedipal stuff,

         G                              D
But when we were together it was always rough.

Em                                    F#m
Hate is a strong word; I want to back-track;

    G                          D
The bigger the front, then the bigger the back;

    G                          D
The bigger the front, then the bigger the back.

Em                      F#m
Now you and me are me and you,

           Em                                  D
And it's a different ballgame though not brand-new.

                       A
I don't know what all of this fighting is for;

        D
But we're having us a teenage/middle-age war.

                D
I don't want to die and you want to live;

           F#m                                 D
It takes a little bit of take and a whole lot of give.

D                                A       Bm
It never really ends though each race is run,

      G                           D
This thing between a father and a son.

Em                                 F#m
Maybe it's power and push and shove,

G                      D
Maybe it's hate but probably it's love,

G                      D
Maybe it's hate but probably it's love.