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
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
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
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