Open Ended Life – The Avett Brothers


G                              C
Pack a change of clothes and a pillow 
                          G
for the road for when you drift off
                                      C
Put the sketches and the notes in the box 
                        G
labeled 'burn with furniture'


        Am
We will watch the fire burn 
            D                           G
the whole entire house we built down to ashes
         Am                          D
From the mirror we'll admire how the flame quickly retires
         Am                          D
We won't waste a long goodbye on the smoke or foolish lies
             G
that finally passed us


      Am                               D        
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
                           G
And never trap myself in nothing


G                                  C
Let's find something new to talk about
                             G
I'm tired of talkin' about myself
                                    C
I spent my whole life talkin' to convince
                              G
everyone that I was something else


        Am
And the part that kinda hurts is 
  D                                      G
I think it finally worked and now I'm leaving
          Am                                  D
I get the feeling things have changed But the mystery to me
             Am                        D                      
is where and when along the way Did anyone decide
            G             
that they believed me


      Am                               D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
                         G
And never trap myself in nothing
      Am                             D
I was told to keep an open-ended life
                            G
To never trap yourself in nothing


G                                       C
When we settle down in another nowhere town
                    G
let's tell our neighbors
                                   C
We won't be here long and we'll be quiet
                          G
but don't go askin' any favors


        Am                       D
I can't stand the unexpected uninvited visits from
         G
too many strangers
   Am                                D                               
My trust has dwindled down and I can leave just as abruptly
          G
as I came here


      Am                               D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
                         G
And never trap myself in nothing
      Am                               D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
                          G
To never trap yourself in nothing
      Am                               D
I was taught to keep an open-ended life
                         G
And never trap myself in nothing