Tuning: Half-Step Down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb eb) 

verse 1 
G                C2    D 
 My mum woke my dad up 
G                             C2   D 
 And said « it’s time to leave » 
Am        G/B           C2         D 
  So they jumped in the old Caprice 
   Em        D        Am 
And tore off into the night 
C2        D       G 
  On the 4th of July 

                      C2      D 
They flew through the darkness 
G                 C2   D 
 Drivin’ like Jehu 
Am         G/B            C2     D 
  And they rolled intoo Ottumwa 
Em           D            Am 
  Before the sun began to rise 
C2        D       G 
  On the 4th of July 

                     C2     D 
And in walks Bob and Janice 
G                    C2  D 
  Rachel's on her way 
Am        G/B            C2    D 
  To peek in through the window 
Em        D             Am 
Hoping to hear her grandson cry 
C2        D       C2  G  D  Am    C2  G  D  Am   C6  D 
  On the 4th of July 

verse 2 
G                      C2       D 
 My mother watched the fireworks 
G                   C2   D 
 From her hospital bed 
Am          G/B        C2   D 
  And after it was all over 
Em            D           Am 
  She held me for the first time 
C2        D       G 
  On the 5th of July 

                  C2        D 
I got my mother’s brown eyes 
G                      C2   D 
 And my dad’s quiet way 
Am            G/B               C2    D 
  And grandma Rachel’s love for music 
Em    D           Am 
  The morning I arrived 
C2        D       G 
  On the 5th of July 

             C2     D 
Deep in Iowa country 
   G                   C2  D 
And a heavenly hideaway 
Am       G/B            C2     D 
  On the shores of Lake Rathbun 
Em     D            Am 
  My folks brought me home 
C2        D       C2  G 
  On the 5th of July 

Bridge 
D 
That was when (that was when) 
Am 
Life began (life began) 
      C2   G 
For me 
D 
That was when (that was when) 
Am 
Life began (life began) 
     C6  D   G 
For me 

verse 3 
                    C2    D 
A teacher and a mechanic 
G                      C2   D 
 Brought me into this world 
Am     G/B           C2 
  They loved me with all their hearts since 
Em          G/B          Am 
  The day I opened my eyes 
G/B - C2          D     C2   G 
        On the 5th of July 

Outro 
D 
That was when (that was when) 
Am 
Life began (life began) 
      C2   G 
For me 
D 
That was when (that was when) 
Am 
Life began (life began) 
      C2  G   D   Am    C2   G   D 
For me