Chords for Larry Norman - Great American Novel

_ _ _ _ _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ I was born and raised an orphan _ in a [C] land that once [G] was free,
_ [Bm] in a land that poured its love out [Am] on the moon.
_ _ _ And [G] I grew up in the shadows of your [C] silos [G] filled with grain,
[F#] but you never [Am] helped to fill my [G] empty spoon.
_ _ _ _ And when I was ten you murdered law [C] with courtroom _ [G] politics,
_ [F#] and you learned to make [Bm] a lie sound [Am] just like truth.
_ _ _ But [G] I know you better now, and I don't [C] fall for all [G] your tricks,
[F#] and you've lost the one [Am] _ advantage of [G] my youth.
_ _ _ _ You kill a black man at midnight [C] just for talking to [G] your daughter,
_ [Bm] then you make his wife your mistress, _ [Am] and you leave her without [D] _ water.
And [G] the sheet you wear up on your face [C] is the sheet your children [G] sleep on.
[Bm] And at every meal you say a prayer you [Am] don't believe, but still [D] you keep on. _
_ And [C] your money [G] says [D] it's [G] God we trust, but [C] it's [G] against the law to pray in school.
You say [G] we feed the [D] Russians [G] to the moon, and [C] I say you [D] starve your [G] children to do it.
_ _ _ You are far across the ocean [C] in a war that's not your own, _
[Bm] and while you're winning theirs you're gonna [Am] lose the one [D] at home. _
[G] Do you really think the only way [C] to bring about the [G] peace _
[B] is to sacrifice your children _ [A] and kill all your [D] enemies? _ _
_ The [G] _ politicians all make speeches while [C] the newsmen all [G] take notes
[Bm] and _ exaggerate the issues as [Am] they shove it down [D] our throats.
Is [G] it really up to them whether [C] this country sinks [G] or floats?
_ [B] Well, I wonder who would lead us [A] if none of us [D] would vote.
_ _ _ _ _ [G] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [C] _
_ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [Bm] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ _ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _
Well, my [G] phone is tapped and my lips are [C] chapped from whispering through [G] the fence.
You [Bm] know every move I make, or is [Am] that just _ [D] coincidence? _
_ [G] Will you try to make my way of life [C] a little [G] less like jail?
If [Bm] I promise to make tapes and [Am] slides and send them through the [D] mail.
_ [C] And your money [D] says it's [G] God we trust, but it's against the [D] law to [G] pray in school.
[C] You say we feed the [D] Russians [G] to the moon, [C] and I [G] say you [D] starve your children to do it.
[C] You say all men are [D] equal, [G] all men are brothers, then why are the [D] rich more [G] equal than others?
[C] Don't ask me for the [D] answers, I've [G] only got one.
[C] That a man [Bm] leaves his [D] darkness when he follows [G] the sun.
_ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _