INTRO: C  Am  F  G   (2x)  C

        Am            F
Life is one big show
             G       C
But no one rehearses 
        Am             F
Up when one crowd, you blow
                        G Gadd9 G C
And that crowd disperses 


          Am           F
So you're on your own
                 G     C
With expenses to cover 
          Am              F
Then your cover is blown
                 G       F
When in comes no lover 


CHORUS: 
          G                F
Keep your guard up and not 
         G              F
Fist out at arms length 
         G          Am     
Kindness is not weakness 
         G          F
Meanness is not strength 
    G
Not strength
    F         G         C
Weakness, not strength 


      Am              F
Accelerate the wheel
                      G      C
The years gather more quickly 
         Am                F
Dream, illusion and real
                                G Gadd9 G C
And you're more and more prickly 


               Am                 F
With kids, the numbers grow higher
                 G      C
In rotations per minute 
              Am           F
So now you'll never retire
                           G        F
But it's for them that you spin it 


CHORUS: 
          G                F
Keep your guard up and not 
         G              F
Fist out at arms length 
         G          Am     
Kindness is not weakness 
         G          F
Meanness is not strength 
    G
Not strength
    F         G       
Weakness, not strength 


INTERLUDE: C  Am  F  G    C  Am  F  G    C


            Am                F
A diamond's brittle and hard
                     G       C
It can shine, it can shatter 
                 Am                 F
And though we're far from the start
                                G Gadd9 G C
You should know you still matter 


        Am           F
God was lonely above
                 G            C
So he made us to dream through
            Am              F
That's what I'm thinking of
                  G          F
When I tell you I love you


CHORUS: 
          G                F
Keep your guard up and not 
         G              F
Fist out at arms length 
         G          Am     
Kindness is not weakness 
         G          F
Meanness is not strength 
    G
Not strength
    F         G        C
Weakness, not strength 


INTERLUDE: C  Am  F  G    C  Am  F  G    C


                    F
Life is one big show
         G       C
No one rehearses 
        Am                 F
Up when one crowd, you blow
                  G   
And that crowd disperses