If You Could Read My Mind
Gordon Lightfoot, 1970· Songs Well-Known in America · p.170
G F
If you could read my mind love, what a tale my thoughts could tell
G F
Just like an old time movie, - 'bout a ghost from a wishin' well
G G7 C D Em
In a castle dark or a fortress strong, With chains upon my feet
C G C G/B
You know that ghost is me. And I will never be set free
Am7 D G
As long as I'm a ghost that you can't see
(Optional Instrumental in G)
G F
If I could read your mind love, - What a tale your thoughts could tell
G F
Just like a paperback novel, - the kind that drugstores sell
G G7 C
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
D Em C G
The hero would be me, but heroes often fail
C G/B Am7 D G
And you won't read that book again because the ending's just too hard to take
(Optional Instrumental: G F G F)
Bridge:
G G7 C D Em
I'd walk away like a movie star who gets burned in a three-way script
C G C G/B
Enter number two: A movie queen to play the scene
Am7 D Em C G/B
Of bringing all the good things out in me. But for now, love, let's be real
C G/B Am7 D
I never thought I could act this way and I've got to say that I just don't get it
C G/B Am7
I don't know where we went wrong, but the feeling's gone
D G
And I just can't get it back
G F
If you could read my mind love, what a tale my thoughts could tell
G F G
Just like an old time movie, 'bout a ghost from a wishing well
(G) G7 C D Em
In a castle dark or a fortress strong, with chains upon my feet
C G C G/B
But stories always end. And if you read be-tween the lines
Am7 D Em C G/B
You'll know that I'm just trying to understand, the feelings that you lack
C G/B Am7 D
I never thought I could feel this way, and I've got to say that I just don't get it
C G/B Am7
I don't know where we went wrong, but the feelings gone
D G F G
And I just can't get it back