F#5

[Verse 1]
F#5
Where were you when the sky cracked open
F#5
Waiting for shelter and barely coping
F#5
Thinking you could ride the storm out
F#5
Hoping you would be all right
F#5
Where were you when they gave a warning
F#5
Hundred-fifty mile winds by morning
F#5
Category four making landfall in the wild gray light
F#5
Where were you
F#5
Where were you

[Verse 2]
F#5
Where were you in the social order
F#5
Lower nine or a hotel in the Quarter
F#5
Which side of the Quarter between rich and poor...
F#5
Where were you gonna evacuate to
F#5
Assuming there was any way to
F#5
Where if you didn't own a car...
F#5
Where were you
F#5
Where were you

[Bridge]
D
Where were you when you understood
E
However decent, however good
A                        B
However hard some people try
                 D
They only barely make it by
                     E
They're born to live their entire lives
   F#5
In harm's way

[Verse 3]
F#5
Where were you when you heard the stranded
F#5
The injured and the empty-handed
F#5
Running out of food and water at the Superdome
F#5
The newborn and the elderly
F#5
Exposed to even more misery
F#5
While those in charge of rescue
F#5
Waited for the Guard to come
F#5
And those who left the Convention Center
F#5
Were stopped on the bridge when they tried to enter
F#5
The safety of the Westbank and higher ground...
F#5
And when the Guard finally did arrive
F#5
And got to work on about day five
                                  A           E
Mainly they were used to keep the looting down...
F#5
Where were you
F#5
Where were you

[Bridge]
D
Where were you when you realized
E
However strong, however wise
A                          B
However true our leaders appear to be
                    D
They talk about prosperity
         E
However hard this country strives
     A                  B
When property is valued more than lives
F#m                E
How strong will we ever really be
D               F#m
How strong will we ever be
D   F#m
How long do we imagine we'll be free
D   F#m                         D   E F#m
How long do we imagine we'll be free

[Interlude]
D  E  D  E  F#5    D  E  F#m
D  F#m

[Verse 4]
F#m
We hold the truth self evident
F#m
The photograph of the President
F#m
From Air Force One he viewed the devastation
F#m
Shaved face and rested eyes
F#m
Looking down he circles twice
F#m
On the way home from his vacation
F#m
Where were you
F#m
When you got the picture
F#m
Where were you
F#m
Where were you when the streets filled up with black water

[Bridge]
D                                E
Where were you when defeat and destruction reigned in the Crescent
A                            B
 Where were you when it blew from every direction
D                          E
 Where were you when the promise was made
A
To retrurn and rebuild
B                       D
 To restore to its people
                               E
The city that gave us the first American music
    A                B
The true inspiration and the freedom to use it
D                       E
 Where will we find it again if we lose it
A
And where will we be
B                   F#m
 If we ever cease to love
F#m
If we ever cease to love
                 D
If we ever cease to love
      F#m E      D     F#m
If we ever cease to love

[Outro]
D F#m E D F#m D F#m E D F#m
D F#m E D F#m