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The Obvious Child - Paul Simon

The Obvious Child

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G

Well, I'm accustomed to a smooth ride

D G D G

Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite

D G C F

I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more

C G D D

I don't expect to sleep through the night

D C G D G

Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie

D G C

But I say why

F C

Why deny the obvious child?

F C G

Why deny the obvious child?

D G C

And in remembering a road sign

G D C G D G C

I am remembering a girl when I was young

F C G D G

And we said These songs are true

D G

These days are ours

D G

These tears are free

D G

And hey

C F C

The cross is in the ballpark

F C G

The cross is in the ballpark

We had a lot of fun

D C

We had a lot of money

G D C

We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny

D G

Sonny gets married and moves away

C D G

Sonny has a baby and bills to pay

C D

Sonny gets sunnier

G C D

Day by day by day by day

G

Doh, doh, doh, doh

Doh, doh, doh, doh

D C G

Well, I've been waking up at sunrise

D G D G

I've been following the light across my room

D G C F C G D

I watch the night receive the room of my day

G D C G D G

Some people say the sky is just the sky

D G

But I say

C F C

Why deny the obvious child?

F C

Why deny the obvious child?

G C/G G

Mm---------

C/G G C G D C

Sonny sits by his window and thinks to himself

D G C G D C

How it's strange that some rooms are like cages

D G C G D

Sonny's yearbook from high school

C

Is down from the shelf

D C G D C

And he id-ly thumbs through the pages

Ab Bbm

Some have died

G

Some have fled from themselves

C G D G D G D

Or struggled from here to get there

C G C G D C

Sonny wanders beyond his interior walls

G C G D C

Runs his hand through his thinning brown hair

G

Well, I'm accustomed to a smooth ride

D G D G

Or maybe I'm a dog who's lost its bite

D G C F

I don't expect to be treated like a fool no more

C G D D

I don't expect to sleep through the night

D C G D G

Some people say a lie's a lie's a lie

D G

But I say

C F C

the cross is in the ballpark

F C G

Why deny the obvious child?

How to play The Obvious Child

Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.

What is the starting chord?

The first identified chord is G. You can transpose without leaving the page.

Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?

Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.

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