Flowers Are Red Chords by Harry Chapin

Your son marches to the beat of a different drummer, but don't worry, we'll have him joining the parade by the end of the term. _ _
[E] What?
_ _ _ _ [C#m] _ [G#m] _ [E] _
[D] _ [C#m] _ _ _ [C#] _ _ [C#m] _ _
Rat, rat, rat, rat, rat, rat, rat, rat.
It's an education beat. _ _ _ _ _
The little boy went first day of [A] school, he got scrams and he started to draw.
[C#m] He put colors all over the [A] paper, for colors was what he saw.
[F#] And the teacher said, what you doing young man?
[B] I'm painting flowers, he said.
She [F#] said it's not the time for art, young man.
And anyway, [D] flowers are [G#] green and [C#m] red, there's a time for everything, young [A] man.
A way it should be done.
[C#m] You got to show concern for everyone [A] else, for you're not the [B] only one.
And [E] she said, flowers [B] for every young [E] man, [B] [E] greenies for [B] green.
[E] I [B] don't need to [E] see flowers [A] any other [E] way, the [B] way they [E] always [A] have been [B] seen.
But the little boy said, [E] there are so many colors in the [B] [E] rainbow, so many [A] colors in [B] the morning [E] sun, [B] so many [E] colors in [A] the [E] flower, [B] and I see [E] everyone.
_ _ _ _ [C#m] _ [D#m] _
[C#m] _ _ _ _ _ Well, the teacher said, you're sassy, [A] there's ways that things should [C#m] be, and you'll paint flowers the way they [A] are, repeat [B] after me.
And she [E] said, [B]
[E] flowers for [B] every young [E] man, [B] [E] greenies for [B] green.
[E] [B] I don't need to [E] see flowers [A] any other [E] way, the way [B] they [E] always [A] have been [B] seen.
But the little boy said again, [E] there are [B] so many [E] colors in the [B] rainbow, [E] [B] so many [A] colors in the [B] morning [E] sun, so many colors in the [A] [E] flower, [B] and I see [E] everyone.
_ _ _ _ _ [D#m] _
[E] _ [D] _ [C#m] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Well, the teacher put him in a corner, [A] she said, it's for your own good.
[C#] And [C#m] you won't come out till you get it [A] right, and are responding like you should.
[F#] Well, finally he got [B] lonely, frightened thoughts filled his head, [F#] and he went up to that [A] teacher, and this is what [B] he said.
And he [E] said, _ flowers are red, [B] [E] and green [B] [E] leaves are green.
[B] _ [E] There's no need to see flowers any [A] other way, [E] than the [B] way they [E] always [A] have been seen.
_ [E] _ _ [C#m] _ [E] _
_ [F#] _ [C#m] _ _ _ But _ _ most time went by like it [A] always does, to move to another town.
[C#m] And the little boy went to another school, [A] this is what he found.
[F#] The teacher there was smiling, [B] she said, painting should be fun.
[F#] And there are so many colors in a flower, [B] so let's use every [Em] one.
But [C#m] that little boy painted flowers, [A] and he drew rows of green and red.
And [C#m] when the teacher asked him why, [A] this is what [B] he said.
[E] And he said, _ flowers are red, and green leaves are green.
There's no need to see flowers any [A] other [E] way, than the way [B] they [E] always have [A] been seen.
_ But there [B] still must be a way to have our children [C#] say,
[E] There are so many colors in the [B] rainbow, [E] so [B] many [A] colors in the morning [E] sun, so [B] many colors in a [A]
[E] flower, and I [B] see [E] every one. _ _ _
_ [Em] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ [N] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [D#] _ _ _ _ _ _