Paul Simon – Born In Puerto Rico (Ukulele)

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Versions (2)

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Chords

Dm                                                                          
I was born in PuertoRico, 

Gm
we came here when I was a child, 

 A                                Dm 
before I reached the age of 16 

          Bb                   A                     Dm 
I was runnin' with the gang and we were wild 

Dm                                                               
He keeps looking but he don´t recognize me, 

Gm
some guy from Lexington or Park 
A Dm Red beans and rice from kitchen window,
A                                                   Dm
it's supper time and the Barrio is dark 

Bb          F                        
No one knows you like I do, 

C  Bb                 F                              C 
nobody can know your heart the way I do 

Bb                F            C                   A                       Dm 
No one can testify to all that you´ve been through, but I will 

Dm                                                                     
I was born in Puerto Rico, and my blood is Taino,

Gm
Spanish Carribean my soul 

A                                 Dm                                 
We came here wearing summer clothes in winter, 

A                                  Dm
hearts of sunshine in the cold 

Bb                F              C F C      
Your family rented this apartment, 

Bb                        C                             Bb C F 
you'd watch the streetlamps from your perch 

                             F              C                         
In the sacramental hour your stepfather in black 

                    A                              Dm 
preached the fire of the Pentecostal church 

Bb          F                       C    
No one knows you like I do,

Bb                F                                   C 
nobody can know your heart the way I do 

Bb                 F           C                   
No one can testify to all that you've 

A                             Dm 
been through but this will 

Dm                                
I was born in Puerto Rico,

 Gm 
came here when I was a child 

A                                                                          
Small change and sunlight, 

                            Dm         
and I left these streets for good,

A                                    Dm 
my days as short as they were wild 

Dm                                        
I'm Carlos Apache, Angel Soto, 

Gm 
Frenchy Cordero, Babu Charlie Cruz 
A Dm Your features blurred in ev'ry grainy photo,
                     A                                Dm 
and fading headlines of the Daily News 
Dm Wyltwyck school for crimonal children,
 Gm
 Auburn, Brooklyn House of D.,

A
 Dannemora, Sing-Sing, Attica, 
Dm Greenhaven, 20 years inside, today you're free Bb F C F C You cannot even read your story,
Bb           C              Bb C F 
the pages piling up in shame, 

F
before the words released you 

C                                          
The guard would kill the light, 

A
the night you took 

Dm
The Capeman for your name 
Bb F C I was born in Puerto Rico (8x)