Intro
D# Ab A# D# x2
[Verse 1]
D# Ab
In the ancient middle fifties,
A# D#
the closin' sixties roar
D# Ab
I was caught up in your passion
A# D#
I could only beg for more
D# Ab
And if I had a dollar bill
A# D#
I'd give it to you then
D# Ab
So I could tell the whole wide world
A# D#
One day I knew you when
D# Ab A# D# x2
[Verse 2]
D# Ab
With your dangerous charisma
A# D#
Your thundering attack
D# Ab
You charged the very air I breathe
A# D#
And kept me coming back
D# Ab
You helped me through my darkest hours
A# D#
You always were my friend
D# Ab
You gave me hope to carry on
A# D#
Because I knew you when
[Bridge]
Ab Gm Ab D#
I knew you when the mountain tops were right beneath your feet
Ab D# A#
When artistry and freedom were complete
Ab A# D# G Cm D# Ab
Before you were an icon, before they all tuned in
A# D#
You could say I knew you when
D# Ab A# D# x2
[Verse 3]
D# Ab
We all sit here with our memories,
A# D#
of a glorious long ago
D# Ab
When our heroes seemed immortal,
A# D#
were they really so
D# Ab
It's a question for a wiser man
A# D#
I will not ask again
D# Ab
I will only say I'm grateful
A# D#
For the time I knew you when
[Outro]
D# Ab
I knew you when (I knew you when)
A# D#
Oh, I knew you when
D# Ab
I knew you when (I knew you when)
A# D#
Yeah I knew you when
D# Ab A# D# x2
D# Ab
I knew you when (I knew you when)
A# D#
Yeah I knew you when