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What a Good Boy

Barenaked Ladies

RockEasy for beginners3 chords

How to play it

Fingering diagrams for the shapes in this song. × = don't play, ○ = open string.

G
D××
C×

Chords & lyrics

Chord names sit directly above the word where you change.

Text size
 
              G           D                           C
When I was born, they looked at me and said
What a good boy, what a smart boy, what a strong boy
G           D                           C
And when you were born, they looked at you and said
What a good girl, what a smart girl, what a pretty girl
 
We've got these chains that hang around our necks
People want to strangle us with them before we take our first breath
Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same
When temptation calls, we just look away
      G                    D
     This name is the hairshirt I wear
               C
     And this hairshirt is woven from your brown hair
      G                D
     This song is the cross that I bear
              C
     Bear it with me, Bear with me, Bear with me
                        G    D    C  (open)   C
     Be with me tonight
                                 G    D    C  (open)   C
     I know that it isn't right
     But be with me tonight
I go to school, I write exams
If I pass, If I fail, If I drop out, does anyone give a damn?
And if they do, they'll soon forget
'Cause it won't take much for me to show that my life ain't over yet
 
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
I wake up wondering if anything in my life is ever gonna change
I wake up scared, I wake up strange
And everything around me stays the same
 
CHORUS
 
I couldn't tell you, that I was wrong
Chickened out, grabbed a pen and paper, sat down and I wrote this song
I couldn't tell you, you were right
So instead I looked in the mirror, watched TV, layed awake all night
 
We've got these chains that hang around our necks
Perople want to strangle us with them before we take our first breath
Afraid of change, afraid of staying the same
When temptation calls . . .
 
CHORUS
REPEAT FIRST VERSE
          
 

Details

Rating

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Chord set

G · D · C

Practice tip

Loop the first two chords slowly until the change is clean, then add the rest.