My Back Pages — The Byrds
Chords and lyrics for My Back Pages by The Byrds (key of E).
Intro
[E] [Esus4] [E] [Esus4]
[E] [Esus4] [E] [Esus4]
Verse 1
[E]Crimson [C#m]flames tied [G#m]through my ears
Rollin' [A]high and [B]mighty [E]traps
[E]Pounced with [C#m]fire on [G#m]flaming roads
Using [A]ideas as my [B]maps
"We'll [C#m]meet on edges, [G#m]soon," said I
[A]Proud 'neath heated [B]brow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Verse 2
[E]Half-wracked [C#m]prejudice [G#m]leaped forth
"Rip [A]down all [B]hate," I [E]screamed
[E]Lies that [C#m]life is [G#m]black and white
[A]Spoke from my skull. I [B]dreamed
[C#m]Romantic flanks of [G#m]musketeers
[A]Foundationed deep, [B]somehow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Verse 3
(The next two verses were left out by The Byrds)
[E]Girls' faces [C#m]formed the [G#m]forward path
From [A]phony [B][E]jealousy
To [C#m]memorizing [G#m]politics
Of [A]ancient [B]history
[Cm]Flung down by corpse [G#m]evangelists
[A]Unthought of, though, [B]somehow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Verse 4
A [E][C#m]self-ordained professor's [G#m]tongue
Too [A]serious [B]to [E]fool
Spouted [C#m]out that [G#m]liberty
Is just [A]equality in [B]school
[C#m]"Equality," I [G#m]spoke the word
As [A]if a wedding [B]vow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Verse 5
(The Byrds pick it up here)
In a [E]soldier's [C#m]stance, I [G#m]aimed my hand
At the [A]mongrel [B]dogs who [E]teach
Fearing not that [C#m]I'd become my [G#m]enemy
In the [A]instant that I [B]preach
My [C#m]existence led by [G#m]confusion boats
[A]Mutiny from stern to [B]bow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Interlude:
[E] [C#m] [G#m]
[A] [B] [E]
[C#m] [G#m]
[A] [B]
[C#m] [G#m]
[A] [B]
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Verse 6
Yes, my [E]guard stood [C#m]hard when [G#m]abstract threats
Too [A]noble [B]to [E]neglect
Deceived me [C#m]into [G#m]thinking
I had [A]something to [B]protect
[C#m]Good and bad, I [G#m]define these terms
Quite [A]clear, no doubt, [B]somehow.
Ah, but [E]I was so much [A]older [E]then,
I'm [A]younger [B]than that [E]now.[E]
Outro
[E] [E] [A] [E] [E] [A]
[E] [A] [E]
X