Richard Thompson - When We Were Boys At School

when we were boys at school

Bm Em F#7
all he ever wanted to do was harm
Bm Em F#7
all he ever wanted to be was cruel
Bm D A Em
at twelve years old fate marked his brow
Bm D A Em
and he said , i have a mission now
Gmaj7 F#m7
but we laughed at his clothes
Gmaj7 F#m7
and the blackheads round his nose
B
when we were boys at school
teachers spoke of hannibal and hector
nimrod and nietzsche were his fuel
swastikas and pentagrams
flourished from his tender hands
but we watched in the rain
as the bully beat him up again
when we were boys at school

Dm
and he said , my camouflage will hide me
Gm Dm Gm Dm
ill be grey as the world is grey
Em
a thousand government corridors
Am Em Am Em
behind which of a thousand doors
F#m F#sus4
will i delegate and rule , o little boys at school

Bm Em F#7
all he ever wanted to do was harm
Bm Em F#7
all he ever wanted to be was cruel
A#m C# G# D#m
and sometimes when the night is still
A#m C# G# D#m
i can feel the gathering of his will
Bm D A Em
i can feel him flex the strings of power
Bm D A Em
and grope to his appointed hour
Gmaj7 F#m7
but we laughed at the dirt
Gmaj7 F#m7
and the frayed cuffs on his shirt
C C7
when we were boys at school

by : jose duarte
jtduarte1@gmail . com