[Verse]
E B
The gates of the schoolyard
 B E
Are padlocked and chained
E B F# E
To keep all the children in out of the rain
E B
The art teacher's preaching
B E
The virtues of pastel shades
E B F# E
You pay no attention but it won't hurt your grades

[Chorus]
 E B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B E
Connecting the dots
E B
They don't have to tell you
 F# E
You don't call the shots
 E B
You jump when they say jump
B E
And you don't ask how high
 E B F# E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E B F# E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by

[Verse]
E B
You take a position
B E
In the old man's firm
E B
He signs all the papers
 F# E
You agree to the terms
E B
They let you run errands
B E
And you don't get days off
 E B F# E
You take off the garbage and hope it pays off

[Chorus]
 E B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B E
Connecting the dots
 E B
You work from neck down
 F# E
You don't call the shots
 E B
You jump when they say jump
B E
And you don't ask how high
 E B F# E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E B F# E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by

[Verse]
E B
You might be in grad school
B E
Up at M.I.T
E B
You might be down in the canal zone
 F# E
Being all that you can be
E B
You might get to thinking
B E
You're ahead of the game
E B
But when you break it all down
 F# E
It all comes out the same

[Chorus]
 E B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B E
Connecting the dots
 E B
You work from neck down
 F# E
More often than not
 E B
You jump when they say jump
B E
And you don't ask how high
 E B F# E
'cause painting by numbers they know you'll get by

[Chorus]
 E B
'cause you're painting by numbers
B E
Connecting the dots
 E B
You work from neck down
 F# E
You don't call the shots
 E B
You jump when they say jump
B E
And you don't ask how high
E B F# E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E B F# E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by
E B F# E
Painting by numbers they know you'll get by