Harry Chapin - The mayor of candor lied

In the li^Fttle town of Candor in the l^Cast year of my youth I lea^Grned the final lesson of the le^Bbvels to the truth My fa^Fther was a farmer, he'd go ti^Cllin' in the ground My mo^Gther was a neighbor, she'd go v^Bbisit^Aming ar^Dmound

But I di^Cdn't care For I had found the answer to a pl^Dmowboys lonely prayer S^Che was the da^Amughter of the M^Dmayor

The Ma^Fyor fought my courtship for h^Ce'd made other plans He saw her mar^Gried to a better man than a b^Bboy with farmer's hands I s^Faid I hate your father, it's ^Cso hard not to strike him She s^Gaid you know I love you bec^Bbause you're ^Amso much l^Dmike him

And ^Dmso I'd go sneaking in the eve^Cning And t^Emhere she'd stand a crying in the d^Amawn as I was l^Feavi^Fmaj7ng ^{Am D}

The M^Dmayor of Candor lied When he off^Gered me his only daughter The M^Dmayor of Candor tried To t^Gake her off across the water W^Bbhat a thing to do to a yo^Gung man in love And w^Bbhat a thing to do to your dau^Dmghter

One day with fa^Fther on his tractor and mo^Cther off again I ^Ggo to find the Mayor to w^Bbork out what I can But he ^Fis not at his office, he ^Cis not at his home When I f^Gind him in the countryside ^Bbhe is ^Amnot a^Dmlone

He's ho^Dmlding a woman and ima^Cgine my surprise As she j^Emumps back from his arms I look i^Amnto my mother's e^Fyes

A^Fll my thoughts of outrage, embarr^Cassment and pain Were wa^Gshed away but what then went roa^Bbring through my brain The Ma^Fyor's at my mercy and I h^Cear my own voice say Your r^Gun for re-election is o^Bbne m^Amonth a^Dmway And the w^Dmorld will never know of what I've s^Ceen here Sir But I^Em'll be with your daughter is my me^Amaning cl^Fear ^Fmaj7Sir? ^{Am D}

The M^Dmayor of Candor lied When he off^Gered me his only daughter The M^Dmayor of Candor tried To t^Gake her off across the water W^Bbhat a thing to do to a yo^Gung man in love And w^Bbhat a thing to do to your dau^Dmghter

My mo^Fther looks in horror at this comp^Cromise we made But the Ma^Gyor's rueful smile says this pi^Bbper must be paid I had a mo^Fnth of joy in heaven from this d^Ceal I'd made in Hell What was to hap^Gpen then my friend a prop^Bbhet could n^Amot te^Dmll

The ^Dmday after his re-election and the victory ^Am/Ccelebratio^Cn The M^Emayor takes his family on a m^Amonth long foreign^Dsus4 vacatio^Dmn

Oh Co^Dmleen, you know how much I l^Cove you T^Emhere is no one I'd e^Amver place ab^Fove you ^{F C/E} Oh Co^Dmlleen, you don't even k^Cnow me To h^Emave you there's nothing that's b^Amelow ^Fme ^C/E (^Dmbut time) But t^Fime always passes after a^Cll And as the S^Emummer follows S^Em/Dpring, so does the W^Aminter follow F^Fall

The d^Fay that they returned, I stand wai^Cting in the road I wa^Gtch the car drive up, I watch the pass^Bbengers unload Of co^Furse she isn't there, of co^Curse I should have known The Ma^Gyor says that she has stayed, the dec^Bbision ^Amis her ^Dmown

He says she's fin^Dmishing her schooling on that un^Cseen foreign shore And I'll t^Emell you very frankly boy, yo^Amu'll not s^Fee her any ^Fmaj7more

The M^Dmayor of Candor lied When he off^Gered me his only daughter The M^Dmayor of Candor tried To t^Gake her off across the water W^Bbhat a thing to do to a yo^Gung man in love And w^Bbhat a thing to do to your dau^Dmghter

^FI spit out my hatred and my f^Cury at his lies When he s^Gays you tried to blackmail me you're j^Bbust as bad as I ^FGo on and do your damndest, th^Crow your mother to the streets You k^Gnow it's been too many years I h^Bbad to ^Ambe dis^Dmcreet

And ^Dmas he stands there saying we're just t^Cwo of a kind It h^Gits me like a thunderbolt expl^Bboding ^Amin my m^Dmind

^DmAs I look into his leering aged wrinkled mirror of my own face ^EmHe laughs and sneers and says - of course dear son Where do you think you came from in the first p^Dmlace?

The M^Dmayor of Candor lied When he off^Gered me his only daughter The M^Dmayor of Candor tried To t^Gake her off across the water W^Bbhat a thing to do to a yo^Gung man in love And w^Bbhat a thing to do to your dau^Dmghter