Tim O'Brien

Dont Be Surprised

Tim O'Brien


Tom: E

E                  Esus4          E       Esus4
She was heavy with child, he had a hungry look
          E          Esus4     E             Esus4
They were out on the road just waitin' to be took
      Aadd9
And I wasn't much better, all I owned in a sack
 
But I had enough street smarts to watch my back
       F#m         F#m7     F#m              F#m7
And he asked me if I knew a place they could go
   F#m           F#m7  B             Bsus4        E       Esus4    E   Esus4
To keep from the wind, away from the rain and the drivin' snow
            Abm
He said I'm good with my hands, I can work my way
      Aadd9
But I don't know a soul here, there's not much I can pay
       F#m      F#m7     F#m         F#m7
I just shook my head and all I could say
    B        Bsus4             E        Esus4    E   Esus4
Was don't be surprised if they turn you away
 
 
            E             Esus4     E         Esus4
I said your child will be born to a heartless place
      E           Esus4             E           Esus4
If he tries to do good they'll just spit in his face
         Aadd9
He might heal the sick, make a lame man walk
 
And draw big crowds of people to hear his talk
              F#m         F#m7           F#m       F#m7
But he'd make rich men so nervous, they'd take him away
           F#m        F#m7       B         Bsus2    E       Esus4    E  Esus4
And they’d put him on trial, and twist his words to make him pay
   Abm
He might be humble, the gentlest around
            Aadd9
But that won't stop some men from puttin' him down
          F#m             F#m7     F#m          F#m7
You see I don't have much faith in people these days
   B        Bsus4             E        Esus4    E  Esus4
So don't be surprised if they turn him away
 
       E         Esus4     E         Esus4
Well I guess someday maybe Rome will fall
    E           Esus4       E           Esus4
And peace could live inside Jerusalem's walls
    Aadd9
And men could win at lots of things they tried
 
Grow food in the desert, maybe even learn how to fly
       F#m      F#m7                     F#m         F#m7
In two thousand years they'll might look back on our day
F#m          F#m7      B               Bsus4                   E        Esus4      E    Esus4
They’d study about us, they’d probably wonder how in the world we could live this way
        Abm
But the more things changed the more they stayed the same
    Aadd9
And men will never give up all their hurtful games
  F#m            F#m7    F#m           F#m7
A few will stand tall, a few will walk straight
    B               Bsus4       E        Esus4    E   Esus4
But most of us will fall to the fear and hate
 
 
Abm
Well I guess at the time it didn't seem so odd
           Aadd9
That I was talking with Joseph and Mary, the mother of God
 F#m                F#m7          F#m  F#m7
I wouldn't change a word if I saw them today
               Aadd9        B          E           Esus4    E   Esus4
And I wouldn't be so surprised if they turned them away
            Abm
He said I'm good with my hands, I can work my way
      Aadd9
But I don't know a soul here, there's not much I can pay
       F#m      F#m7         F#m         F#m7
I just shook my head because all I could say
    Aadd9           B         E        Esus4
Was don't be surprised if they turn you away