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: