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What You Will

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Cmajor

90BPM

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[Intro]
C C/B Am F G
[Verse 1]
I Chad a friend who had to vent
On a C/Btime that left him quite verklempt
AmI asked exactly what he meant
And Fhelplessly he Gsaid:
"CI'm just a boy with a broken dream
And C/Ba chemical dependency
That's Ameating up what's left of me
While Fthey say plan Gahead"
He Amasked his father "C/Bwhat's the point?
The Ffuture ain't too Gbright."
Then Amdad replied for the C/Bfirst time:
"I Fthink you might be Gright"
Cause your Cgeneration's on Gmedication
CBlinded by Ginebriation
CWallowing in proGcrastination
CFrankly bored of Geducation
CLive in fear of Gforeign nations
CNuclear anGnihilation
CSearching for an Gexplanation
CWhile I have the Grealization Fthat it's all my Gfault
And such is Clife
[Interlude]
(C)  G  C  
[Verse 2]
I Cheld a girl for a bit of a while
In an C/Bage where a smile was out of style
She Ammade denial seem worth while
I Fnever quite knew Ghow
She Chad a voice and a wish for fame
And C/Bclaimed the world would know here name
I Amtold her I once felt the same
But Flook where I am Gnow
So Amdarling, keep your C/Bhead on straight
The Fvision won't Gpan out
She'd Amsay "I always C/Bget my way and
FYou can just Gget out!"
So she Cworked real hard and she Gdanced away
But Cshe put a play for her Gmirror all day
And the Cyears went by, she Gturned 28
COver the hill and a Glittle too late
With Cdeteriorating Gmental health
The Cpresident's dead cause she Gproved herself
And Cthough you never Gheard her sing
She's Con magazines and GTV screens
While she Csits and smiles in a Gprison cell
Where she Chung herself with a Gstudded belt
She Fwent out like a Gstar
And such is Clife
[Interlude]
(C)  G  C  
[Verse 3]
I Cknew a fella so tried and true
He's a C/Blot like me and a bit like you
Who Amstruggled through what bound him to
A Fsocial web of Glies
He Csaw the things he chose to see
InC/Bside a world of fantasy
And Amnever fit too comfortably
In Fanybody's Geyes
But, Amwhen the system C/Bpulled his card
And Fsaid, "You turned out Gright"
We Amfed you fear for C/B18 years
FPreparing for a Gfight
So, Cson get off that Gunicorn and Ccome try on this Guniform
Cause Cthese are the colors that Gnever run:
CRed, white, blue, and a Gsilver gun
Though he Cnever laid a finger on Ganyone, he just Csang his songs and Ghad his fun
On the Cbattlefield he Gmet his end
When he Ctook a bullet to Gsave his friend
His Cmom got word the Gother day
In a Cletter that read, "GThanks anyway"
But Fthat's how freedom Grings. And such is Clife
[Interlude]
(C)  G  C  
My Cthought on everybody else
Would C/Blead me back to view myself
And Amtake the sorrow that I felt
To Fbuild a case-in-Gpoint
My Chome sweet home of lemon drops
Where C/Bdinner's served on counter tops
The Amhealthy family unit stops
When Fparents Gdisappoint
The Amstranger's hand that C/Bfeeds you is a Fjackal in Gdisguise
That Amsends us poison C/Barrows from aFpocalyptic Gskies
There's a Cfallout child with an Gempty face
Who'll Cfinish last in the Ghuman race
In a Cvegetative state at his Gparents' place
An Cashamed disgraced who's aGfraid to age
His Crage enslaves a Gcaged white dove
Who's Craised on drugs and Gselfish love
The Cproduct of a Gtime defined by Cme, myself, and GI combined
With a Cslow decline on a Gstring of pills
While the Cworld keeps turning, we're Gstanding still
And Fgrowing up all Gwrong
The Fsandbox lines are Gdrawn
The Fbackward beat goes Gon
And such is Clife
[Outro]
(C)  G  C  

All chords in this song (5)

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What You Will

by Matt Pless

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

C/B

[Intro]

C C/B Am F G

[Verse 1]

I had a friend who had to vent

C/B

On a time that left him quite verklempt

I asked exactly what he meant

F G

And helplessly he said:

"I'm just a boy with a broken dream

C/B

And a chemical dependency

That's eating up what's left of me

F G

While they say plan ahead"

Am C/B

He asked his father "what's the point?

F G

The future ain't too bright."

Am C/B

Then dad replied for the first time:

F G

"I think you might be right"

C G

Cause your generation's on medication

C G

Blinded by inebriation

C G

Wallowing in procrastination

C G

Frankly bored of education

C G

Live in fear of foreign nations

C G

Nuclear annihilation

C G

Searching for an explanation

C G F G

While I have the realization that it's all my fault

And such is life

[Interlude]

C G C

()

[Verse 2]

I held a girl for a bit of a while

C/B

In an age where a smile was out of style

She made denial seem worth while

F G

I never quite knew how

She had a voice and a wish for fame

C/B

And claimed the world would know here name

I told her I once felt the same

F G

But look where I am now

Am C/B

So darling, keep your head on straight

F G

The vision won't pan out

Am C/B

She'd say "I always get my way and

F G

You can just get out!"

C G

So she worked real hard and she danced away

C G

But she put a play for her mirror all day

C G

And the years went by, she turned 28

C G

Over the hill and a little too late

C G

With deteriorating mental health

C G

The president's dead cause she proved herself

C G

And though you never heard her sing

C G

She's on magazines and TV screens

C G

While she sits and smiles in a prison cell

C G

Where she hung herself with a studded belt

F G

She went out like a star

And such is life

[Interlude]

C G C

()

[Verse 3]

I knew a fella so tried and true

C/B

He's a lot like me and a bit like you

Who struggled through what bound him to

F G

A social web of lies

He saw the things he chose to see

C/B

Inside a world of fantasy

And never fit too comfortably

F G

In anybody's eyes

Am C/B

But, when the system pulled his card

F G

And said, "You turned out right"

Am C/B

We fed you fear for 18 years

F G

Preparing for a fight

C G C G

So, son get off that unicorn and come try on this uniform

C G

Cause these are the colors that never run:

C G

Red, white, blue, and a silver gun

C G C G

Though he never laid a finger on anyone, he just sang his songs and had his fun

C G

On the battlefield he met his end

C G

When he took a bullet to save his friend

C G

His mom got word the other day

C G

In a letter that read, "Thanks anyway"

F G C

But that's how freedom rings. And such is life

[Interlude]

C G C

()

My thought on everybody else

C/B

Would lead me back to view myself

And take the sorrow that I felt

F G

To build a case-in-point

My home sweet home of lemon drops

C/B

Where dinner's served on counter tops

The healthy family unit stops

F G

When parents disappoint

Am C/B F G

The stranger's hand that feeds you is a jackal in disguise

Am C/B F G

That sends us poison arrows from apocalyptic skies

C G

There's a fallout child with an empty face

C G

Who'll finish last in the human race

C G

In a vegetative state at his parents' place

C G

An ashamed disgraced who's afraid to age

C G

His rage enslaves a caged white dove

C G

Who's raised on drugs and selfish love

C G C G

The product of a time defined by me, myself, and I combined

C G

With a slow decline on a string of pills

C G

While the world keeps turning, we're standing still

F G

And growing up all wrong

F G

The sandbox lines are drawn

F G

The backward beat goes on

And such is life

[Outro]

C G C

()

About What You Will Chords by Matt Pless

Learn how to play What You Will by Matt Pless with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “What You Will chords”, “What You Will guitar chords”, or “Matt Pless What You Will chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy What You Will chords and for experienced players who want accurate What You Will lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, C/B, Am, F, G, A.

FAQ — What You Will by Matt Pless

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What key is "What You Will" in?

The chords for "What You Will" show the original chord names (including C, C/B, Am, F, G, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.