C  Am  C  Am

[Verse 1]
C                          Am
come gather around my friends
C                Am               F
I'll tell you about a minstrel band
G
Of children in their witches hats
C
Painting pictures with the pipes of pan

[Verse 2]
C                          Am
How a young boy and his sister played some tunes
C             Am           F
Upon a whistle made of tin
G
And led me through the flower gardens
C
Laughing at the postman's stubby chin

[Verse 3]
C                          Am
And in my dizzy stupor
C             Am           F  C Dm
I was trying to forfeit all I'd known
G
And listen to that french horn music
C
that could swirl me in a magic all it's own

[Verse 4]
C                          Am
But somewhere in the distance
C             Am           F  C Dm
You and I, we fought our monsters to a draw
G
It was in those days of books and wine
C
With Ferlin Getty grasping for a straw

[Verse 5]
C                          Am
And out along the highways
  C             Am           F  C Dm
We journeyed far to find that mystic smile
G
Chasing down identities
C
My God we must have run a million miles

[Verse 6]
C                          Am
So we can teach the children
C             Am           F  C Dm
Nothing, nothing but survival in the desert bare
G
They can teach us how to laugh
C
How to love and tie bright ribbons in our hair

[Verse 7]
C                          Am
So play for us you children
C             Am           F  C Dm
Tinkle bells and rhyme the purple, greens and blues
G
Think of us as fighting fools
C
Who somehow stumbled through this life loving you

[Verse 8]
C                          Am
Lets sing children sing
C             Am           F  C Dm
Love all the purples greens and blues
G
we'll all think over
C
how we wintered through the seasons loving you