G Em


[Verse 1]
    Em
Why didn't anyone believe
               D        C
A single word when you said it was
G               D           C
  It was your father's friend
           Em
Yeah, only fourteen, life goes on
                        D            C
Who knows, you prob'ly brought this on yourself
G            D          C
It's better not to tell


[Chorus]
G               Em         D               G
Mother, mother, how many tears have you cried?
                 Em       D     C            D
Mother, I will listen to you tonight to the truth
G                Em            D          G
Mother, how many years before you could breathe?
                 Em         D       C
Mother, I won't turn away when you speak
        D    Em          D      Em
I'm listening, I'm listening


[Verse 2]
 Em
To a daughter now it happens too
 G                   D      C
Freshman year, he's waiting in your bed
G          D        C
Suppose to be a friend
Em
You tried to forget the way you felt
                     D       C
You fought, but he forced himself on you
G            D            C
He left you black and blue


[Chorus]
G                Em      D          G
Sister, why did nobody trust your cries?
                Em        D     C              D
Sister, I will listen to you tonight to the truth
G                Em          D       G
Sister, you are braver than you believed
                 Em         D          C
Together we will find a way to healing
        D    Em          D      Em
I'm listening, I'm listening


[Bridge]
Em                           D
And brother, where could you go?
                    C
Honestly, we don't know what to do
        Am
When a teacher takes what he took from you
Em                            G
And brother, where could you run?
                         C
Shame turned you silent and made a prison
Am
Could you learn to speak again
 C                         Am
If we were only listening?


[Chorus]
G                  Em         D        G
Brother, there is freedom for you to cry
                Em        D     C              D
Brother, I will listen to you tonight to the truth
G                Em      D          G
Brother, I pray you can begin to breathe
G                    Em      D          C
Brother, please don't, don't be afraid to speak
        D    Em          D    Am
I'm listening, I'm listening,
         G    C           D
I'm listening, I'm listening