Live Your Own Time, Child

This song was inspired by the movie "I'm Not There," in which a character says to the precocious musician versed beyond his years -- the boy who is supposed to be a mythical Bob Dylan, appropriator of ages -- that he should, "Live your own time, child." I filled the verses with icons that came before my time.

Strum slowly: DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN UP DOWN

(A) Hobo train calls my name

(Cm) tracks me back to you in vain

(B7) Lovers, liars die again

(D) Woody, you're my only friend

(A) Peace and love I sing again

(Cm) Howling like the idiot wind

(B7) Turn on, drop out and tune in

(D) I love you, Mrs. Robinson

But you say,

(A) Live your own time, child

(D) Memories grow wild

(A) Sieze today from yesterday (D)

(A) Caught the Prankster bus with my thumb

(Cm) Kesey passed the acid cup

(B7) Hunter hung on for the ride

(D) Ate his gun, would not swallow pride

(A) Allen, Billy, hey, Jack K

(Cm) Hemingway and Jean Genet

(B7) I read you all in old Tangiers

(D) Loaded queens, shotguns in the mirror

(A) Sweep up all your Dust Bowl songs

(Cm) Tom Joad's gone where he belongs

(B7) Grapes need picking, cotton too

(D) Cops beat guys -- that's what they do

And you say,

(A) Live your own time, child

(D) Memories grow wild

(A) Sieze today from yesterday