G 
My first rock concert was a stadium affair 
    C              D          G 
our dads drove us down to the front gates there, 
G 
And we looked at all the people and all their rock-n-roll hair, 
            C          D              G 
And for the very first time i smelled dope in the air, 
          E     C        G 
And we saw ELO, but they sucked.
    D                                                            C                        D 
But Meatloaf was wicked, so we gave it up for the fat man. (Gave it up for Meat) 
   G 
My second rock show I was offered some pot, 
        C        D                   G 
But i refused to be swayed or to be caught by a cop. 
G 
Geddy, Alex, Neil: they played penultimate rock, 
C             D                 G 
And for the very last song they set off five flash pots, 
E        C                    G 
My friend had an epileptic fit. 
D                                                       C 
But the crowd cheered him on cause they thought that he was dancing. 
D 
(Thought that he was a fool on his back.) 
G 
My third rock show was an epochal day, 
C        D              G 
It was out at the ex, beneath the Alpine way 
G 
Aerosmith and Goddo, they were okay, 
    C                D                    G                     E 
But when i saw the Ramones and it changed the way i saw the world. 
C        G 
I saw everything. 
D                                        C 
So I bought a leather jacket, cut holes in my jeans. 
D                                                       C               D 
When my parents saw my pants, then they took away the car keys for two days. 
G 
The Specials, Gand of Four, and all the new wave. 
                  C         D                           G 
I saw the Birthday Party play with Nick Cave. 
G 
I saw XTC twice, I thought Paul Weller was Christ. 
C       D                       G 
I even met Michael Stipe, he was distant but he was nice. 
E               C       G 
Joe Jackson saved my life 
D                                       C 
At Massey Hall, I got up and i started to dance 
D                                       C 
Big ol' cop, he grabbed me, and pinned me against the stage. 
D                                       C 
Cop reached down, and he took the hat off my head. 
D                                       C 
Then Joe reached down and he took the hat off the cops head, 
D                                        C              D 
So i wiggled free and i ran up into the balcony and swan dived. 
G 
Now it's many years later and I'm up on the stage, 
C       D                G 
Sometimes i feel a little like a bird in a cage. 
G 
Under these lights you're either a mouse or a sage, 
C        D      G 
Music belies one's actual age. 
E       C                G 
Is it just a passing churn (yeah, could be, could be)? 
D                                                C 
Like a rusty car, hair style, or an old shirt (shirt shirt), 
D                                C              D 
A CHUM chart, an 8 track, or a gate-folds double live. 
G C D G 
Oh yeah, I was there