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Back When I Was 4

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Dmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

* = single strum, the rest is the above pattern.
[Verse 1]
DBack when I was A4 and I knGew the name of every Ddinosaur 
I knew how to read ROM comic Abooks 
My babysitter Gsaid I was really Dsmart 
When the lights went out everAything changed
The Gradio music made me feel Dstrange 
And I had a real bad Adream about a gGorilla in the bathroDom 
[Verse 2]
DBack when I was A6 I took Geverything real Dserious 
And I thought that every Asong that Gcame on the radiDo 
Was referring to strange Asexual acts 
GBecause they thougDht I wouldn't know the facts 
And being small is Ahard and no one Gever tDells you how 
[Chorus]
AAnd back when I was 8 I'd Gsit outside on an old milk crate 
And loAok out at the world from the stGoop across the street 
The bAoomboxes and the hot concrete 
And evGery Halloween they hung
A milAlion rubber skeletons acGross ninth street. 
[Verse 3]
DAnd back when I was A12 or sGo I swear to god I never Dfelt so low 
Everyone but Ame was Gmaking out and eaDting cookies 
DI had more than Amy brain could Gstand 
I threw my Dlife in a garbage can 
DI felt so weird 
AI had to disappear 
GIn crying Dsuicide disease. 
[Verse 4]
DAnd at 15 gettinAg stoned felt Ggood and it sent me Dback to childhood 
DAnd nothing ever Amattered to me Gmore than thatD  
DBut then 16 Abecame eclipse 
GMy brain became Dapocalypse 
DI was lost and found and I've Anever been Gthe sameD  
[Verse 5]
AAnd back when I was 22 GI left the best thing that I knew 
and I Agave it up for fortune and for Gfame 
AI played like I didn't know how 
GI shocked the world I wowed the crowd 
ABut I deserved more than what Gthey gave 
[Verse 6]
DBack when I was A27 Gstill nothing had Dbeen forgiven 
DClay turns into rock Gand rock just sits G  D  
DSo sitting on a Acrowded bGeach 
GI'd pretend DI was a leach 
DAnd stick to Athings here Gand there for a little bDit 
[Verse 7]
ABack when I was 31 I knew GI'd become what DI'd become 
DNothing left to reAveal 
GAnd there was nowhere else to Dturn 
DSo shocked and withereAd dumb and bitter 
GAnd in need of a Dbabysitter 
DI'd gladly let my Ahand fall oGff and Dburn burn burn 
[Verse 8]
ABack when I turned the big 4-0 I Grealized just how much there was to go 
AAnd I started to think that being alone forever 
GWasn't where it was at 
ASo I pulled my head out of the window 
GAnd I taught myself how to love real fast 
AI started talking about painting 
AWith a Gwoman in the laundromat 
[Verse 9]
GAnd back Dwhen I was A50 and mGy first wife had just left Dme 
DI felt okay Aand I sang my daughter 
GFunny little Dsongs 
DAnd just when I thought tAhe best was past 
GI fell in love for Dreal at last 
DAnd it didn't even mAatter that iGt had taken me sDo long 
[Verse 10]
DAnd back when I Awas 63 the Gpublic reDdiscovered me 
DMy comic books and Aalbums had all become rare Gcult-collectDor items 
DBoth my parents werAe deceased 
GSo they didn't see my records Dget re-released 
DAnd I got a dog for tAhe first time in my Glife D  
[Verse 11]
AAnd back when I was 74 Gmy dog died and I got two mAore 
AI still felt really good about my daughtGer 
GAnd also about my girlfriend 
AAnd I'd sing and draw a little bit 
GBut mostly I'd wake up early and sit 
AAnd hang out with the puppies and Gwish that I could live forever 
[Verse 12]
DAnd back when I was A87 and Gmy grandson had jDust turned eleven 
AMy woman was dead 
AAnd my dogs were getting Gpretty old D  
DMy E7body didn't work Aquite like it should 
GBut overall tDhings were pretty good 
DI was getting decent Aroyalties from the Greissued comic books aDnd records 
[Verse 13]
D*                  A*
And back when I was 106 
G*
My only friend 
        D*
Was one goldfish 
D*              A*                  G*
Everyone I ever knew was dead and gone 
    D*                 A*
And the goldfish never had a name 
G*                              D*
And the neighbors thought I was insane 
D*                                    A*                       G*
And I flushed it down the toilet when I saw it floating upside down 
[Chorus]
AAnd back when I was 128 GI'd sit outside on an old milk cArate 
AAnd look out at the world from the Gstoop across the street 
AThe boomboxes and the hot concreGte 
GAnd every Halloween they hung 
A mE7illion rubber skeletons Gacross 9th street 
DEvery HalloAween they hung 
GA million Drubber skeletons 
DEvery HalloAween they Ghung 
GA million ruDbber skeletons 
DEvery HalloAween they huGng 
GA million rubber Dskeletons
[Outro]
A A G D

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Back When I Was 4

by Jeffrey Lewis

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

* = single strum, the rest is the above pattern.

[Verse 1]

D A G D

Back when I was 4 and I knew the name of every dinosaur

I knew how to read ROM comic books

G D

My babysitter said I was really smart

When the lights went out everything changed

G D

The radio music made me feel strange

A G D

And I had a real bad dream about a gorilla in the bathroom

[Verse 2]

D A G D

Back when I was 6 I took everything real serious

A G D

And I thought that every song that came on the radio

Was referring to strange sexual acts

G D

Because they thought I wouldn't know the facts

A G D

And being small is hard and no one ever tells you how

[Chorus]

A G

And back when I was 8 I'd sit outside on an old milk crate

A G

And look out at the world from the stoop across the street

The boomboxes and the hot concrete

And every Halloween they hung

A G

A million rubber skeletons across ninth street.

[Verse 3]

D A G D

And back when I was 12 or so I swear to god I never felt so low

A G D

Everyone but me was making out and eating cookies

D A G

I had more than my brain could stand

I threw my life in a garbage can

I felt so weird

I had to disappear

G D

In crying suicide disease.

[Verse 4]

D A G D

And at 15 getting stoned felt good and it sent me back to childhood

D A G D

And nothing ever mattered to me more than that

D A

But then 16 became eclipse

G D

My brain became apocalypse

D A G D

I was lost and found and I've never been the same

[Verse 5]

A G

And back when I was 22 I left the best thing that I knew

A G

and I gave it up for fortune and for fame

I played like I didn't know how

I shocked the world I wowed the crowd

A G

But I deserved more than what they gave

[Verse 6]

D A G D

Back when I was 27 still nothing had been forgiven

D G G D

Clay turns into rock and rock just sits

D A G

So sitting on a crowded beach

G D

I'd pretend I was a leach

D A G D

And stick to things here and there for a little bit

[Verse 7]

A G D

Back when I was 31 I knew I'd become what I'd become

D A

Nothing left to reveal

G D

And there was nowhere else to turn

D A

So shocked and withered dumb and bitter

G D

And in need of a babysitter

D A G D

I'd gladly let my hand fall off and burn burn burn

[Verse 8]

A G

Back when I turned the big 4-0 I realized just how much there was to go

And I started to think that being alone forever

Wasn't where it was at

So I pulled my head out of the window

And I taught myself how to love real fast

I started talking about painting

A G

With a woman in the laundromat

[Verse 9]

G D A G D

And back when I was 50 and my first wife had just left me

D A

I felt okay and I sang my daughter

G D

Funny little songs

D A

And just when I thought the best was past

G D

I fell in love for real at last

D A G D

And it didn't even matter that it had taken me so long

[Verse 10]

D A G D

And back when I was 63 the public rediscovered me

D A G D

My comic books and albums had all become rare cult-collector items

D A

Both my parents were deceased

G D

So they didn't see my records get re-released

D A G D

And I got a dog for the first time in my life

[Verse 11]

A G A

And back when I was 74 my dog died and I got two more

A G

I still felt really good about my daughter

And also about my girlfriend

And I'd sing and draw a little bit

But mostly I'd wake up early and sit

A G

And hang out with the puppies and wish that I could live forever

[Verse 12]

D A G D

And back when I was 87 and my grandson had just turned eleven

My woman was dead

A G D

And my dogs were getting pretty old

D E7 A

My body didn't work quite like it should

G D

But overall things were pretty good

D A G D

I was getting decent royalties from the reissued comic books and records

[Verse 13]

D A

* *

And back when I was 106

My only friend

Was one goldfish

D A G

* * *

Everyone I ever knew was dead and gone

D A

* *

And the goldfish never had a name

G D

* *

And the neighbors thought I was insane

D A G

* * *

And I flushed it down the toilet when I saw it floating upside down

[Chorus]

A G A

And back when I was 128 I'd sit outside on an old milk crate

A G

And look out at the world from the stoop across the street

A G

The boomboxes and the hot concrete

And every Halloween they hung

E7 G

A million rubber skeletons across 9th street

D A

Every Halloween they hung

G D

A million rubber skeletons

D A G

Every Halloween they hung

G D

A million rubber skeletons

D A G

Every Halloween they hung

G D

A million rubber skeletons

[Outro]

A A G D

About Back When I Was 4 Chords by Jeffrey Lewis

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