1.
A E
Like a  bird  on the  wire. 
A D
Like a  drunk  in a midnight  choir, 
A E A Asus4 
I have  tried  in my  way  to be  free. 
A E
Like a  worm  on a  hook. 
A D
Like a  knight  from some old-fashioned  book, 
A E  A Asus4 
I have  saved  all my  ribbons for  thee. 
chorus
D  A
If I, if I have been un kind, 
Bm  A
I hope that you can just let it go  by. 
D  A
If I, if I have been un true, 
Bm  E Esus4 
I hope you know it was never to  you. 
2.
A E
Oh, like a  baby,  still born. 
A D
Like a  beast  with his  horn, 
A E A Asus4 A E
I have  torn  ever yone  who reached out for  me.  But  I  swear  by this  song 
A D
and by  all  that I have done  wrong 
A  E A Asus4 
I will make it  all  up to  thee. 
chorus
D  A
I saw a beggar leaning on his wooden  crutch. 
Bm  A
He said to me, “You must not ask for  so  much.”. 
D  A
And a pretty woman leaning in her darkened  door. 
Bm  E Esus4
She cried to me, “Hey, why not ask  for  more? ”. 
outro
A E
Oh, like a  bird  on the  wire. 
A D
Like a  drunk  in a midnight  choir, 
A E D A 
I have  tried  in my  way  to be  free.