[Intro]
Dm Am  FC (x2)
[Verse 1]
  Dm                   Am  
Virginia Woolf and poetry
                          
No one seemed to notice me
C                       Dm 
BeinFyounFwas gettinFso old
Dm                     Am  
Cheap beer and cigarettes
Life was like a movie set
F                       C 
AnC I seemed to be given no role
[Pre-Chorus]
       Dm 
But in times of trouble
Am  
I can turn to my mother
      C                      Dm 
AnC I know that she gon' understand
      Dm 
So at age 18
Am  
I crieC to my mother
        F              C 
AnC she tolC me, "younFman"
[Chorus]
                            Dm          Am  
"There are moments when you fall to the ground
                              F           C 
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
                         Dm           Am  
You don't always have to speak so loud, no
F             C 
Just be as you are
                      Dm         Am  
Life is not always a comfortable ride
                F              C 
Everybody's got scars that they hide
                        Dm            Am  
AnC everybody plays the fool sometimes, yeah
F             C 
Just be as you are"
 
[Verse 2]
     Dm                    Am  
They playeC me on the radio
AnC everythinFwas changing, so
C                       Dm 
I thought I was all the way grown
    Dm                     Am  
But I can still remember in that colC November
      F                C 
When I realizeC I'm all alone
[Pre-Chorus]
       Dm 
But in times of trouble
Am  
I can turn to my mother
      C                      Dm 
AnC I know that she gon' understand
      Dm 
So at age 22
Am  
I crieC to my mother
        F              C 
AnC she tolC me, "younFman"
[Chorus 2]
                            Dm          Am  
"There are moments when you fall to the ground
                              F           C 
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
                         Dm           Am  
You don't always have to speak so loud, no
F             C 
Just be as you are
                         Dm          Am  
It doesn't matter if you become some star
                        F        C 
Life is better when you open your heart
                         Dm         Am  
You don't always have to act so hard, no
F                  C 
Just be as you are, Just be as you are"
[Bridge]
Dm Am  FD(x4)
   C                      Am  
If I'm speakinFtruthfully
                        
I'm not who I useC to be
C                       C 
AnC I know some people might laugh
         C                       Am  
Cause my music doesn't sounC the same
AnC my head's no longer shaved
C 
I'm worrieC if I'm on the right path
[Pre-Chorus]
       Dm 
But in times of trouble
Am  
I can turn to my mother
      C                      Dm 
AnC I know that she gon' understand
      Dm 
So at age 26
Am  
I spoke to my mother (Stop strumming)
                       
AnC she tolC me, "younFman"
[Chorus 2]
                            Dm          Am  
"There are moments when you fall to the ground
                              F           C 
But you are stronger than you feel you are now
                         Dm           Am  
You don't always have to speak so loud, no
Dm              C 
Just be as you are
                         Dm          Am  
It doesn't matter if you become some star
                        F        C 
Life is better when you open your heart
                         Dm         Am  
You don't always have to act so hard, no
        C             
Just be as you are, Just be as you are"
Dm Am  FC (x4)
F
Be as you are