| C | G/F | Am | F | |
| Take these | shoes | Click clacking down some | dead end street |
| C G/F F G/F (repeat pattern) |
| Take these shoes And make them fit |
| Take this shirt Polyester white trash made in nowhere |
| Take this shirt And make it clean, clean |
| Take this soul Stranded in some skin and bones |
| Take this soul And make it sing |
| C | G | Am | F | |
| Yah | weh, | Yah | weh |
| C | G | F | Dsus | |
| Always | pain before a | child is | born |
| C | G | Am | F | |
| Yah | weh, | Yah | weh |
| C | G | |
| Still I'm | waiting for the |
| C (verse begins right away) |
| dawn Take these hands Teach them what to carry |
| Take these hands Don't make a fist |
| Take this mouth So quick to criticise |
| Take this mouth Give it a kiss |
| Yahweh, Yahweh |
| Always pain before a child is born |
| Yahweh, Yahweh |
| Still I'm waiting for the |
| dawn |
| Am | Em | F | G | |
| Still waiting for the | dawn, | the | sun is coming up |
| C | Em | |
| The | sun is coming up on the | ocean |
| Am | F | |
| This | love is like a drop in the | ocean |
| Am | F | Dsus | |
| This | love is like a drop in the | ocean |
| Yahweh, Yahweh |
| Always pain before a child is born |
| Yahweh, tell me now |
| Take this city A city should be shining on a hill |
| Take this city If it be your will |
| What no man can own, no man can take |
| C | F | C | F | C | F | C | |
| Take this | heart | Take this | heart | Take this | heart And make it | break |