The Great Mandella (The Wheel Of Life)

Words & Music:

Peter Yarrow, Albert Grossman & Mary Travers

 

A  D/F#  E  A  [2x]

 

      A(5)                               C                G

So, I told him that he'd better shut his mouth and do his job like a man.

       E7                                A

And he answered, "Listen, father, I will never kill another."

               D7              G

He thinks he's better than his brother that died.

         F#                      G            E7                        A

What the hell does he think he's doing to his father who brought him up right?

 

CHORUS:

          Em                 Am                                      Am7       Em

Take your place on the Great Mandella as it moves through your brief moment of time.

       C                   Em

Win or lose, now, you must choose, now.

     Am                                   Em

And, if you lose, you're only losing your life.

 

Tell the jailer not to bother with his meal of bread and water today.

He is fasting 'til the killing's over.

He's a martyr.  He thinks he's a prophet

But, he's a coward.  He's just playing a game.

He can't do it.  He can't change it.

It's been going on for ten thousand years.

 

CHORUS:

 

Tell the people they are safe, now.

Hunger stopped him.  He lies still in his cell.

Death has gagged his accusations.

We are free now.  We can kill now.

We can hate now.  Now, we can end the world.

We're not guilty.  He was crazy.

And it's been going on for ten thousand years.

 

CHORUS:

 





Back to the Songbook Index.

This page's content is copyrighted ©1977-2008 by Kristin C. Hall. Please drop me a line (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") if you wish to use it or link to it or correct it! Please send comments, suggestions, fixes and general mischievious mayhem to the web diva via the above email address. (sorry, spambots have forced me to remove my automatic mail link.) Many thanks...and enjoy!

Note to lawyers and any other litigious-minded folk:
I am not trying to screw anyone out of royalties, etc. I have posted these only as a helpful resources for teachers, camp counselors and people who like to "sing along with Mitch", if you will. If you do not want your work posted to these pages, please just email me (via "dink (at) media (dot) mit (dot) edu") and I shall remove it.