Teach Me A Simple Song
Words and Music by Harry Chapin

She said teach me a simple song of love and happy things
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you sing

She was married for seven years to a concrete castle king
She wanted to learn to play guitar and to hear her children sing
The old six string is all I had to keep my belly still
And for each full hour of lesson, I got a crisp ten dollar bill

She said, teach me a simple song of love and happy things
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you sing
She said, teach me a simple song before you go away
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you play

I tried to teach her a couple of chords and an easy melody
But she'd rather listen to my guitar and me
She's so lovely in her living room as the street boy entertained
I was telling her of all my dreams, and the silence told her pain

She said, teach me a simple song of love and happy things
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you sing
She said, teach me a simple song before you go away
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you play

She was good to talk to and had so much to say
But you can't keep singing love songs and then tear yourself away
It's funny how my simple life can so quickly turn
But it's a complicated lesson that the guitar teacher learns

She said, teach me a simple song of love and happy things
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you sing
She said, teach me a simple song before you go away
We've only got a little longer and I'd like to hear you play
Or maybe you can stay...?