G   G

[Verse 1]
G                    C            D                  G
I stood with mom and poppa as the bus pulled in that day
   C               G              D
To take me from my childhood to a man
    G                C                D              G
I believe it was the first time I saw either of them cry
   C             D                G
As momma held on tight to daddy’s hand

[Verse 2]
                  C                 D             G
Momma handed me a sandwich and some money she had saved
    C                  G             D
And whispered that she knew I’d be a good man
    G                 C            D              G
She gently smiled and told me that momma’s always know
    C           D               G
The only way to come back is to go

[Chorus]
              D                      C                 G
And birds and children fly away like clouds on a windy day
            C         G                 D
And there’s usually a rainbow after the rain
                                       C                 G
Birds and children fly away that’s the Master’s plan you know
C                  G                 D
Children are God’s gift to make love grow
D
And I can still hear poppa say
                                        G
Don’t cry momma birds and children fly away

(Key change to G#, capo 3 or sharp the chords below
 To play with the video)

[Verse 3]
G                               C
    A thousand thoughts flashed through me
     D                     G
as I watched them wave goodbye
         C            G                 D
How they taught me to fish and love and pray
  G               C            D            G
I gave the man my ticket heard poppa gently say
Am                    D                                 G
Don’t cry momma cause birds and children they just fly away

[Chorus]
          D                      C                 G
Birds and children fly away like clouds on a windy day
            C         G                 D
And there’s usually a rainbow after the rain
                                       C                 G
Birds and children fly away that’s the Master’s plan you know
C                  G                 D
Children are God’s gift to make love grow
D
And I can still hear poppa say
                                        G    G
Don’t cry momma birds and children fly away