Gordon Lightfoot - Dont Beat Me Down Ukulele

CAPO: 3rd Fret



[INTRO:] Em    A  C  (4x)

[VERSE 1:]
              Em                   A
When he was a man, my father would stand 
  C             Em
I never saw him run 
                          A            C
There wasn't anyone could make the man bend 
        Em              D            C           A
And the strength of his will was the tool of his trade 
       Em
And he did his work well 
                               A         C
'Til the powers that be took a liking to him 
         Em         D          C          A
And they traded his body for a cold empty shell


[CHORUS:]
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
         Em
I've got something to say
          A           C
Don't you stand in my way 
                  Em     A  C  Em    A  C
And don't beat me down


[VERSE 2:]
             Em                 A
When I was a youth, I found the truth
       C         Em
In the eyes of a friend 
                          A              C
There wasn't anyone could make the light dim 
       Em            D              C          A
And we talked and we rambled and we gambled to win 
        Em
And the learning was good
                               A         C
'Til the powers that be took a liking to him 
         Em           D                C            A
And they traded their fortunes for the sight of his blood


[VERSE 3:]
             Em              A
When I was a child my mother smiled
       C          Em
At the cradle she bought
                       A           C
For the little tot she held to her breast 
        Em            D           C         A
And the song that she sang was an anthem to love 
       Em
It was all that I heard
                               A         C
'Til the powers that be took a liking to me
         Em           D          C           A
And they told me that love was a four-letter word



[CHORUS:]
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
         Em
I've got one life to live
           A         C
And that's all I can give
                 Em     A  C  Em    A  C
So don't beat me down


[VERSE 4:]
               Em                        A
Now I've got a place, I've got a worried face
      C           Em
And a question in mind 
                     A          C
Please let me find a reason somehow 
      Em            D             C         A
While some reap the harvest while other men die 
        Em
And the joker runs wild
                             A         C
And if powers that be take a liking to us 
        Em         D           C         A
Then we all must return to the ways of a child 
   Em         D           C         A
We all must return to the ways of a child


[CHORUS:]
                 Em     A  C  Em    A  C
So don't beat me down
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
         Em
I've got something to say
          A           C
Don't you stand in my way 
                  Em     A  C  Em    A  C
And don't beat me down
         Em
I've got one life to live
           A         C
And that's all I can give
                 Em     A  C  Em    A  C
So don't beat me down
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down
              Em     A  C  Em    A  C
Don't beat me down