Tono: E
E
B
The gates of the schoolyard
B
E
Are padlocked and chained
E
B
F#
E
To keep all the children in out of the rain
E
B
The art teacher's preaching
B
E
The virtues of pastel shades
E
B
F#
E
You pay no attention but it won't hurt your grades
E
B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B
E
Connecting the dots
E
B
They don't have to tell you
F#
E
You don't call the shots
E
B
You jump when they say jump
B
E
And you don't ask how high
E
B
F#
E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E
B
F#
E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
Verse
E
B
You take a position
B
E
In the old man's firm
E
B
He signs all the papers
F#
E
You agree to the terms
E
B
They let you run errands
B
E
And you don't get days off
E
B
F#
E
You take off the garbage and hope it pays off
E
B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B
E
Connecting the dots
E
B
You work from neck down
F#
E
You don't call the shots
E
B
You jump when they say jump
B
E
And you don't ask how high
E
B
F#
E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E
B
F#
E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
Verse
E
B
You might be in grad school
B
E
Up at M.I.T
E
B
You might be down in the canal zone
F#
E
Being all that you can be
E
B
You might get to thinking
B
E
You're ahead of the game
E
B
But when you break it all down
F#
E
It all comes out the same
E
B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B
E
Connecting the dots
E
B
You work from neck down
F#
E
More often than not
E
B
You jump when they say jump
B
E
And you don't ask how high
E
B
F#
E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E
B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B
E
Connecting the dots
E
B
You work from neck down
F#
E
You don't call the shots
E
B
You jump when they say jump
B
E
And you don't ask how high
E
B
F#
E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E
B
F#
E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E
B
F#
E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by