Verse 1

Cm                       F
Momma please stop cryin, I can't stand the sound 
E                            D          G
Your pain is painful and its tearin' me down 
Cm                        F
I hear all the screaming as I sit up in my bed 
Eb                                D              G
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you said 

CHORUS #1
Cm                      F
You fight about money, bout me and my sister 
E                       D            G
And this I come home to, this is my shelter 
Cm                       
It ain't easy growin up in World War III 
F               
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see 
E                               D                    G
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family 


                Cm                F
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
                  E            D          G
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything 
               Cm                  F
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
                   E          D               G
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't  leave 

VERSE #2

Cm                        F
Daddy please stop yellin, I can't stand the sound
E                      D          G
Make mama stop cryin, cuz I need you around 
Cm                       F
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says its true 
Eb                          D                  G
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love you, too 

Cm                F           
I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away 
Eb                                     D                     G
Don't wanna go back to that place, but don't have no choice, no way 
Cm                       
It ain't easy growin up in World War III 
Fm               
Never knowin what love could be, you'll see 
Eb                               D                    G
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done my family 

CHORUS #2
                Cm                F
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
                  E            D          G
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything 
               Cm                  F
Can we work it out? Can we be a family? 
                   E          D               G
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't  leave 

Cm                        F
In our family portrait, we look pretty happy 
         E                    D             G
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes naturally 
               Cm
I don't wanna have to split the holidays 
             F
I don't want two addresses 
                E
I don't want a step-brother anyways 
                 D                            E
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name 


       Cm                     F
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
         E               D                G
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that 
            Cm                  F
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
             E              D            G
Let's play pretend, act like it goes naturally 


       Cm                       F
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
          E               D              G
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that 
(I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do
anything) 
       Cm                       F
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
           E                  D           G
Let's play pretend act and like it comes so naturally 
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave) 
          Cm                    F
In our family portrait we look pretty happy 
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?) 
             E             D             G
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that 
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave) 

Cm
Daddy don't leave 
F 
Daddy don't leave 
E
Daddy don't leave 
D           G
Turn around please 
Cm                      F         E        D
Remember that the night you left you took my
       G
shining star? 
Cm
Daddy don't leave 
F
Daddy don't leave 
E
Daddy don't leave 
D               G
Don't leave us here alone 

Cm
Mom will be nicer 
        F                  E
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother 
           D                  G
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner 
 Cm                      F
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right 
              E
I'll be your little girl forever 
D                 G
I'll go to sleep at night