VerseDOur father hid a lot of paAinful memories
DA bunch of **** he never shaAred
DBut when he died, I went out loAoking for them
DFor all the things he never saAid
DThought he was born in 19A48, but
DWas born a whole decade befoAre
DThought he was brought up in New ZeaAland, but he
DWas born and brought up in SamAoa
F#mWe thought that he was only hEalf-Samoan
C#mThat his mother wDas a German JAew
F#mBut I went foEund his birth C#mcertifiDcate
And he lBmied aboDut that tAoo
DOur father's love was unmistaAkable, and
DHe gave us everything he hAad
DAnd I guess that meant pretending Ahe was half-white
DTo give his kids a better chAance
VerseDMy sister, she lives out in NAew York City
BDeen there since I was seventAeen
DI think she hates it, but like moAst New Yorkers
DShe just can't bring herself to leAave
DShe used to love to watch our faAther cooking
DAnd imitate the things she'd sAeen
DAnd now she makes the most amaAzing things, and
DShe also sings better than mAe
F#mAnd when he died, she and her huEsband stayed
C#mTo keep my moDther companAy
F#mAnd even thEough it ****** themC#m up a lDot
They did a bBmetter jDob than mAe
DAnd I wish that we could see them evAery weekend
DAnd she could cook her famous meAals
DI wish that I could hang out wiAth her husband
DMore than a couple times a yAearVerseDOur brother Wesley is a quAiet man, and
DHe is the second of us foAur
DHe inherited our faAther's hands, but
DHe looks like me a little mAore
DHe has a love that's unmistAakable, and
DHe's seen police brutaliAty
DHe lives in Auckland with his wiAfe and dog, and
DHe stands a shade above 6A'3
F#mOur father left him with a coEusin, and
He C#mgot into trDouble frequentAly
F#mMe and my siEster only hC#meard of hiDm
In Bm2000 aDnd 1A8VerseDOur brother Matthew is a bAaker, and he
DStands a mighty seven feAet
DHe was brought up in a MaAori family
DAnd speaks Te Reo fluentAly
AHe didn't know about our faDther till I
DI guess he was about 1A8
DHe did some time for something awAesome, and he's
DThe sweetest guy you'll ever mAeet
F#mHe came to meet me at a feEstival
C#mHe told me evDerything he knAew
F#mOur father lEeft him at the C#mhospitDal
But if he forgBmives him, then DI should toAoBridgeDLa la la la la la la lAa la la la
DLa la la la la la la Ala
DLa la la la la la la Ala la la la
DLa la la la la la lAaVerseDI know our father had his reAasons, but that
DCan never make it right or fAair
DI hate myself for stealing aAll his love when
DMy brothers thought that he was dAead
F#mSo as I dig through the collEateral
C#mThe secrets hDid throughout the yeAars
F#mI know I'll haErdly ever anC#mswer thDem
But it's a Bmway to kDeep him neAarOutroDLa la la la la la lAa la la la la
DNa na na na na na nAa
DLa la la la la la lAa la la la
BmLa la la la la la Dla Ala