GREEN: THE WRONG CHILD

This is a very beautiful song and a lot of fun to play ... that said, I frequently skip over it.  It's really quite depressing.  What makes it heartbreaking is the optimism of the child.  The attitude of 'Hey, I can't play with you other kids, but gosh darnit don't feel sad for me ... I've gotten over it.'  Plus the imaginary friend thing again ... I get the feeling Stipe was a loner growing up.  This also contains one of my favorite lines: 'The sound, the smell of swing set hands.'  Brilliant.  Below is a live version of the song from YouTube that sounds like it was recorded during a wrestling match, as you can see it is Bill Berry on mandolin.  Does this shatter the idea that it was Buck bringing the mandolin to the group?  It certainly looks like it.



THE WRONG CHILD

I’ve watched the children come and go
A late long march into spring
I sit and watch those children
Jump in the tall grass
Leap the sprinkler
Walkin' the ground
Bicycle clothespin spokes
The sound the smell of swing set hands

I will try to sing a happy song
I’ll try and make a happy game to play

Come play with me I whispered to my new found friend
Tell me what it’s like to go outside
I’ve never been
Tell me what it’s like to just go outside
I’ve never been
And I never will

I’m not supposed to be like this
I’m not supposed to be like this
But it’s okay

(Hey those)
Hey those kids are looking at me
I told my friend myself
Those kids are looking at me
(They’re laughing and they’re running over here)
They’re laughing and they’re running over here
They’re laughing and they’re running over here
(What do I do?)
What do I do?
What can I do?
What should I do?
What do I say?
What can I say?

I said I’m not supposed to be like this
Let’s try to find a happy game to play
(I’m not supposed to be like this but it’s okay)
Let’s try to find a happy game to play
I’m not supposed to be like this
But it’s okay
Okay


This song was a lot of fun to figure out and in the beginning, silly me, I thought it was going to be easy.  It's mandolin based, but don't let it fool you, the 12 string makes the song.

THE WRONG CHILD

Verse (12 String)

e|-0---0----|

B|-0---0----|

G|-0---2----|

D|-2---4----|

A|-0---0----|

E|-0---0----|

Verse (Mandolin)

e|-777553000000-00---|

A|-000000045402-20---|

D|-------------------|

G|-------------------|

Chorus (Guitar 1)

e|-3---2---0---0---0---0---0-----------|

B|-0---3---2---0---3---3---3-----------|

G|-0---2---2---2---4---4---0-2-4h-2-0--|

D|-0---0---0---2---5---4---2---------0-|

A|-x-----------0---0---0---0-----------|

E|-3-----------0---0---0---0-----------|

Chorus (Guitar 2)

e|-3-3-2-2-0-0-----3---2----2-2---|

B|------------3-0---3---3--3--3---|

G|----------------4---4---0---0---|

D|---------------5---4---2----2---|

A|--------------------------------|

E|--------------------------------|

Chorus (Mandolin)

e|---0---0---0---0--0-0-0-0---|

A|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0---|

D|-5---4---2---0----5-4-2-2---|

G|------------------0-0-0-0---|

Middle Bridge

e|----3-2---3-2---3---2----2-2---|

B|---3-----3---0---3---3--3--3---|

G|--2-----2------4---4---0---0---|

D|-0-----0------5---4---2----2---|

A|-------------------------------|

E|-------------------------------|

Middle Bridge (Mandolin)

e|----3-2---3-2--0---0---0--|

A|---0-----0----0-0-0-0-0-0-|

D|--0-----0----5---4---2----|

G|-2-----2------------------|

Last Chord

e|-5-|

B|-5-|

G|-7-|

D|-7-|

A|-0-|

E|-0-|

e|-5-|

A|-2-|

D|-2-|

G|-0-|