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Version 1 Version 2 Version 3 Version 4Allentown by Billy Joel [Intro] C D G 3x G Em D Well we're living here in Allentown C D G And they're closing all the factories down Em A D Out in Bethlehem they're killing time A Em A D Filling out forms - Standing in line G Em D Well our fathers fought the Second World War C D G Spent their weekends on the Jersey Shore Em A D Met our mothers in the USO A D A D Asked them to dance, Danced with them slow G Em D And we're living here in Allentown F G C But the restlessness was handed down Em C G D Em D And it's getting very hard to stay C D G – C D G G Em D Well we're waiting here in Allentown C D G For the Pennsylvania we never found Em A D For the promises our teachers gave A Em A D If we worked hard , If we behaved G Em D So the graduations hang on the wall C D G But they never really helped us at all Em A D No they never taught us what was real A D A D Iron and coke - And chromium steel G Em D And we're waiting here in Allentown F G C But they've taken all the coal from the ground Em C G D Em D And the union people crawled away C D G F G A# Every child had a pretty good shot F G A# To get at least as far as their old man got F G A# But something happened on the way to that Place F G A# They threw an American flag in our face C D G G Em D Well I'm living here in Allentown C D G And it's hard to keep a good man down Em C G D Em D But I won't be getting up today - ay - ay C D G [SOLO] F G A# (4x) Em C G D Em D And it's getting very hard to stay C D G And we're living here in Allentown The D Chord is often lifted and dropped on the E string. The F-G-A# part is played by sliding the F up the bridge. Submitted by David Whitney