G C D C Am D

            G                                               
The teacher had you write a letter, you were eight years old
          C
About the man that you'd become and the positions you'd hold
             D                   C
But this was long before you and Jackie Geronimo met
       Am              D
In the Prelude Park at midnight

    G
Now when it came to bells and whistles, Jackie did not lack
             C
And when she kissed you on the kisser, boy, you kissed her back
        D                                  C
Now you tell her that you love her and she cuts you slack
         Am                             D
When you drink with your buddies on the weekend

C                            D
And the weeks fly by and the years roll on
               G                   G/f#           Em             D     C
You spend your whole life dropping nickels in the bucket, Wakin' up at dawn

          Am                  B       Em          D/C
And while Jackie bestowed the joys of fingerlickin'
    D                        C        C/B C/A G
The clock up on the wall was tickin'


    G
You got yourself a job cleaning hospital floors
    C
But Jackie had a baby, then she had five more
       D                                C
They'd pay you just enough to drag your ass to the store
       Am                             D
To buy bread, milk and Better Homes & Gardens





       G
Jackie flips the pages and she dreams little dreams
  C
A cottage in the country built with real wood beams
          D                         C
There's a baby in the bedroom, he's starting to scream
          Am                           D
She holds him though he probably won't remember



C                            D
And the weeks fly by and the years roll on
          G                 G/f#             Em             D        C
Sometimes dreams are all you got to keep you going when the day gets long
        Am              B              Em        D/C
And you gave up so many just to make a livin'
     D                        C      C/B C/A G
That clock up on the wall was tickin'



        G
Now the kids are all grateful when they left the nest
    C
And Jackie wasn't perfect but she did her best
    D                        C
You cease the opportunity to get you some rest
        Am                                  D
But you can't sleep on account of screaming grandkids

    G
The golden years are meant to leave a gleam in your eye
       C
You're starting to discover it's a great big lie
     D                           C
They work you like a dog til you quit or you die
        Am                                D
But you can't quit cause Jackie needs the benefits





C                            D
And the weeks fly by and the years roll on

         G             G/f#           Em              D          C
They say patience is a virtue but the doctor says she don't have long


    Am                      B               Em      D/C
You stood up and tried your damndest not to listen
         D                        C        C/B C/A G
But that clock up on the wall was tickin'.


          G                                          C
When they told you to clear the room, that's when it hit you
    G                                           D
You watched as the caravan took your sweetheart away
    G                                               C
The arguments and fights and money troubles seem so worthless
       G                 D            G
As the kids throw yellow roses on her grave



C                            D
And the weeks fly by and the years roll on

    G              G/f#         Em                    D          C
The house is quiet now and everything inside seems to know she's gone

          Am                  B                      Em      D/C
There's a picture of you both sixteen years old just kissing

         D                        C        C/B C/A G
And that clock up on the wall was tickin'


           G
You always thought she had a chance and it was somewhere hidden
           C
Now you've come to the conclusion that she never did
           D                    C
?    ?    ?    ?    ...
Am                  D
Have a chance, that is...