Intro
[G#] [C#m] [G#] [F#]
Verse
[G#]
How do you say to your child in the night
[C#] [G#]
Nothing is all black but then nothing is all white?
[G#]
How do you say it will all be alright
[D#] [F7]
When you know that it mightn't be true?
[D#] [A#]
What do you do?
[A#]
Careful the things you say
[D#]
Children will listen
[A#]
Careful the things you do
[D#]
Children will see
And learn
[A#]
Children may not obey
[D#]
But children will listen
[A#]
Children will look to you
[D#] [F#]
For which way to turn
[A#] [F]
To learn what to be
[Gm] [Cm]
Careful before you say
"listen to me."
[F7] [Fm] [D#]
Children will listen
[B]
Careful the wish you make
[E]
Wishes are children
[B]
Careful the path they take
[E] [A]
Wishes come true
[Bm]
Not free
[B]
Careful the spell you cast
[E]
Not just on children
[B]
Sometimes the spell may last
[E] [Em]
Past what you can see
[G] [B]
And turn against you...
[C#m]
Careful the tale you tell
That is the spell
[E]
Children will listen...
[G]
How can you say to a child who's in flight
[G]
Don't slip away and I won't hold so tight?
[G] [Dm] [Em]
What can you say that no matter how slight won't be misunderstood?
[A]
What do you leave to your child when you're dead
[D]
Only what ever you put in it's head
[A] [A] [Em]
Things that your mother and father had said
[C#m] [F#m] [F#]
Which were left to them too
[B] [E]
Careful what you say, children will listen
[B] [E] [C#m]
Careful you do it too, children will see and learn
Oh!
[B]
Guide them but step away
[E]
Children will glisten
[B]
Tamper with what is true
[Em] [B]
And children will turn
If just to be free
[B] [C#m]
Careful before you say
[E]
"listen to me."
[F#m]
Children will listen...
[C#m] [F#m]
Children will listen!
[B]
Children, children will listen
Outro
[F#m] [A] [Em] [B]