"Let Me Be"

   (P.F. Sloan)

Intro:

D   A    D6  E[2X; 12-string enters 2nd time]

/ / / /  / / / /

Verse 1:

  D              E      D          E

Please don't mistake me or try to make me

      D        E       A

The shadow of anybody else

D            E      D              E

I ain't the him or her you think I am

          D      E            A

I'm just trying hard to be myself

          E                     A

Though society's goal is to be part of the whole

           D                       E

That may sound good to you, not to me

Chorus:

       A

Let me be, let me be

    D            E

To think like I want to

       A

Let me be, let me be

        D        E

That's all I ask of you

  D                       C#m   Bm     [1,2: repeat intro  3: to coda]

I am what I am and that's all I ever can be

Verse 2:

Don't try to plan me or understand me

I can't stand to be understood

I could never give in to or ever live up to

Being like you think I should

I've got some inner need that I'm tryin' to heed

I can't take hand-me-down destiny

[repeat chorus]

Verse 3:

Don't try to change me or rearrange me

To satisfy the selfishness in you

I'm not a piece of clay to mold to your moves each day

And I'm not a pawn to be told how to move

I'm sorry I ain't the fool you thought would play by your rules

A to-each-is-own philosophy

[repeat chorus]

Coda:

    A

(...be)

               D     E       A

I said that's all I ever can be   [repeat to fade]