F Am G D Dm Am
F Am G A G Dm Am

[Verse 1]
F
Scowling crackhead Ian
Am
I can't forget your face
           Gm
You were a foul human being
    Dm                 Am
Way back on St. Mark's Place
        F
A white thug when we were both poor
       Am
A life struggling for one quarter more
         Gm
In sixth grade that's what you'd mug me for
         Dm                     Am
A switch blade pressed up to my jugular
     F
So I feared for my next, safe streets were few
   Am
My nerves grew wrecked near the Second Avenue
       Gm
I soon learned how to steer clear of a crook or a crew
        Dm                        Am
And now I'm still here, and look, so are you
   F
Forever you've been crackhead Ian
            Am
It was your kid nickname if we spoke it
            Gm
You were an insane human being
                 Dm                   Am
Whether you ever did or didn't really smoke it

F Am Gm Dm Am

[Verse 2]
         F
I'd know that tall thin bent-over stroll
    Am
All sun burned and grim since ten or twelve years old
        Gm
I guess yesterday is gone faces still intend our souls
     Dm                              Am
An I guess both our mom's places are still on rent control
F
I was that wick, small, sad, sag, punier guy
           Am
You was as big, tall and bad back in junior high
   Gm
No sight of someone's face has ever been scarier
           Dm                           Am
You'd come chase me from Street Fighter One or Space Harrier
F
Hello again, crackhead Ian
        Am
I still can't forget your foul face
   Gm
My fellow human being
                        Dm                    Am
I know we're both still planted on St. Mark's Place

[Verse 3]
                F
We've lived our poor lives in close parallel
            Am
Within this four or five blocks we both know so well
              Gm
You must have grew up near the former theater or old gross hotel
    Dm                                Am
I'm sure you're aware of me here, but oh I can't tell
   F
It seems you never outgrew your little preteen rage
        Am
I still see you look so mean though now we are middle-aged
      Gm
I was eavesdropping last year at you laughing to tell
      Dm                       Am
About bashing some dude with a chair till he fell
          F
I slipped fast by you talking fear and our eyes would touch
         Am
Drifting past by new mornings that it all changed so much
     Gm
I've never known your live story I'm sure it's rotten and tough
    Dm                              Am
But how long before these roles for us have gotten old enough?

[Verse 4]
F
You must've had it so rough kid
Am
Well I wonder
Gm                                                Dm                Am
Forged by a tiny portion of love or fortune, goes lightning or goes thunder
         F
You're a bad one crackhead Ian
Am
A sad son and sunburned pig
       Gm
But of all the best kids seen downtown in our pre-teens
          Dm                 Am
It's just you and me left I think
F                             Am
How long till you notice? How long until you shake my hand?
    Gm
How long until we're old man neighbours?
     Dm                        Am
Last tribesmen of the vanished plant
   F                                         Am
We never even did exchange names. You were an evil kid from Hades
     Gm                                     Dm                Am
When we played these arcade games That made life great in the 80's

[Outro]
F
Me and Ian
Am
Me and Ian
Gm                                                        Dm                          Am
Ryding into the night of an east-village dream with these games in the street and the head and...