Written:   Bwindi Impenetrable Nat’l Park, Uganda — July 2, 1998

Intro

D   Dadd9/B    Cadd9D   Dadd9   Dsus   D  (twice)

Verse One

G      Bm      C           D
My old friend, how are you doing today?

G       Bm                          C                D
Take it slow my friend, you’ve been hard working the day away.

Em    C                G
Now I know that you’ve been there before,

Em          C           D
Struggling away with no food at your door.

Verse Two

My old friend, been watching you for a long, long time.
Patience waiting with the skill of your rhythm and rhyme.
My old friend, can’t your children seem to see,
That you and them can never be like me.

Chorus

D           G                       D
Because the birds in the trees, and you’re on your knees,

C                      D
Watching the time roll by. A

G                     D
new day is found, you rise without a sound,

C
Trying to make the world go round.

G           D       C                D
Way down in Africa, always trying to do your best. The

G              D                 C
time has come, my old friend, to lay your head down and take a rest.

Repeat Intro

Verse Three

My old friend, why are your hands tremblin’?
Sun in your face and your eyes are growin’ dim.
My old friend, I remember long ago,
When you told me we will always know.

Chorus

That the way of our time may never change, that’s the way it is.
So come with me, and you will see, how to live in harmony.
Way down in Africa, always trying to do your best,
The time has come, my old friend, to lay your head down and take a rest.

Repeat Intro

Verse Four

My old friend, been missing you for a long, long while.
The rains have come, and the land is now fertile.
The children are astray, since you have been away,
Seems like everyone’s trying to make just one more day.

Afterward

D      Dadd9/B    Cadd9D            Dadd9    Dsus    D
Yeah,  I know,    it’s a very, very long way to      go, oh ho.

D      Dadd9/B    Cadd9D     Dadd9     Dsus  D
Yeah,  I know,    we will    get there some  day, hey, hey.

C                     G                           D
Any which way, you’re trying to say, I’m going to find you.

C                     G                           D
Any which way, you’re trying to say, I’m going to find you. Because

C                          G                                D
Each and every day, you’re trying to find a way to make the world go round.

C                          G                                D
Each and every day, you’re trying to find a way to make the world go round.

C                          G                                D
Each and every day, you’re trying to find a way to make the world go round.

Repeat Intro

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