C 
My mother once told me
Esus                E    
The thicker your skin,
A7sus                   A7
The better off you’ll be
                                Dm
When this world brings you down
Dm/G                    /G#     
It’s trying to control me
Am                      Dm7
Leave me without hope
F
In the past I’ve been burned
G
But I’ve lived and I’ve learned

Chorus:
C                                   G/B
‘Neath the shelter of the pouring rain
        Am                      G
In the absence of this fear and pain
C                               G/B
I will finally bid my ball and chains
Am – G 
A fond farewell
C                               G/B  
On a road that leads me to my place
        Am                      G       
Gonna rid my heart of past disgrace
        F                       G
I will finally bid this sluggish pace
                Am – G 
A fond farewell…
 
C
I heard their reservations
Esus                            E
And I read their bitter words
A7sus                           A7
I shined a light upon their wisdom
                        Dm
No matter how absurd
Dm/G                              /G#           
Oh they broke my heart to pieces
Am                              Dm7
And I questioned my own beliefs
F                       
My dignity was gone
G
It’s time to move on…

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge:
F
Say goodbye to feeling sorry for myself
To begging others for far too much help
Dm
This is my hand these are the cards that I’ve been dealt
Only I can make these changes, nobody else
F
Say goodbye to these sleepless nights
Those corridors with no end in sight
Dm
A driven man with these words I write
G
I’m making peace with my soul tonight