verse 1 
F         Bb   F   Bb               F      C7        F 
Wave your flag you know he's coming with a smile for you 
F       Bb F   Bb        F           C7           F 
Distant voices softly humming of the things he'll do 
    Dm                 Am                 Bb             F 
The mothers came - the fathers came - the bells began to ring 
     Am            Dm         Dm/C Bb             F 
They knew it was a special day and John forgot to sing 

verse 2 
F        Bb     F   Bb         F          C7   F 
Horses'  hooves and people cheering only for a day 
F           Bb      F   Bb              F             C      F 
What's this strange new sound you're hearing - can it always stay 
    Dm                Am                 Bb             F 
The miners came - the farmers came - the bells began to ring 
     Am            Dm         Dm/C Bb             F 
They knew it was a special day and John forgot to sing 

verse 3 
F         Bb   F   Bb               F      C7        F 
Silently they sat and waited for his few kind words 
F         Bb   F   Bb               F      C7        F 
Those who loved and those who hated - these few moments shared 
    Dm                      Am                      Bb             F 
The blacks were there - the whites were there - the bells began to ring 
     Am            Dm         Dm/C Bb             F 
They knew it was a special day and John forgot to sing 

verse 4 
F       Bb   F   Bb           F               C7         F 
Eat the love and drink the wisdom - all these things are free 
F       Bb   F   Bb                F     C7       F 
I can't give you gold and kingdoms but I give you me 
    Dm                Am                  Bb             F 
The mothers ate - the fathers drank - the bells began to ring 
     Am            Dm         Dm/C Bb            F 
They knew it was a special day and John began to sing