Em Em C C G G D D x2

(play every chord twice as in intro)

                         Em    C
I wrote this song for my father
G        D                       Em   C       G   D    
Sometimes I feel he never gave a damn about me
           Em       C           G
Though he raised me like he should
D                     Em  C            G   D
Did he understand me? No, no, I don't think so.

                         Em    C
I wrote this song for my mother 
G       D                       Em  C    G   D
She had to leave me, when I was younger 
               Em       C           G      D
She said son, seek this life, and keep an open mind
But in my mind's eye... 
(Chorus)
     C    Em
I am free now
         G               D
Free to live without my fears
   C      Em
I believe now
           G             D
There's a reason why I'm here.
                   Em C G D (strum chords 2 times again through 2nd verse) 
It's to try and do good
                   Em C G D
It's to try and do better.


           C
Can I be a man?
          Em
One that understands
       G         D
How to love more patiently 
        C    Em
I'll be free now
        G    D
I'll be free now.

(Play bridge with palm mute)
       Em                         C
And we dream of the day, when our kids can play
        G                          D
In the streets with no fear of them being taken away
        Em                     C
Fathers raise their sons with respect and love 
       G                      D
Handle anger and pain with no need for no guns
      Em                 C
If we hope to be free it takes you and me
         G             D
To start over here and now
       Em                 C               G                D
'Cause this world is, the way it is, it's how we raise our kids.
                          Em  C  (strum twice again :)
I wrote this song for my mother, 
G  D                    Em   C
wrote this song for our father
G  D                     Em    C
So hopefully we can come together 
G  D                              Em  C   G   D
And hopefully make things a little better.