G        Am C         G        Am C
G        Am C         G        Am C

[Verse 1]
            G
One day you might hear someone knocking
Am C      G             Am C
   Loudly at your door
        G
And you know it must be bad news
Am C   G            Am C
   Absolutely sure
         G
You must realise before you
Am C          G               Am C
   Strike the very first blow
         G
He's the one who only tells you
Am C          G          Am C
   What you already know

[Pre-chorus]
(single strums)
Am            Em
    Lay not a finger on him
(return to strumming)
Am          Em             C           D
Beat not or bruise not his skinny skin skin

[Chorus]
      G                       Am C
Don't ever harm the messenger
      G                       Am C
Don't ever harm the messenger

G        Am C         G        Am C

[Verse 2]
     G
Understand he came a long way
Am C    G           Am C
   On a lonely road
     G
Multiplying were his trials
Am C     G             Am C
   Heavy was his load
     G
Understand his heart was breaking
Am C          G             Am C
   Never once did he sleep
       G
And no hollow log kept him warm
Am C          G             Am C
   No council did he keep

[Pre-chorus]
(single strums)
Am           Em
    Give him food give him a bed
(return to strumming)
Am        Em         C           D
Touch not one single hair on his head

[Chorus]
         G                       Am C
No Don't ever harm the messenger
      G                       Am C
Don't ever harm the messenger

[Break]
G        Am C         G        Am C      x4

[Verse 3]
(spoken)
G                      Am C
  Understand he came a long way
G                        Am C
  A long way on a lonely road
G                      Am C
  Multiplying were his trials
G                    Am C
  Heavy was his load
G                          Am       C
  Understand his heart was breaking
G                   Am   C
  Never once did he sleep
G                       Am     C            G
  And no hollow log, no hollow log kept him warm
G            Am     C
  No council did he keep

[Pre-chorus]
(single strums)
Am            Em
    Lay not a finger on him
(return to strumming)
Am          Em             C           D
Beat not or bruise not his skinny skin skin

[Chorus]
      G                       Am C
Don't ever harm the messenger
         G                       Am C
No Don't ever harm the messenger
      G                       Am C
Don't ever harm the messenger
         G                       Am C
No Don't ever harm the messenger

[Break]

G        Am C         G        Am C
G        Am C         G        Am C

[Outro]

G             Am       C       G         Am C
   Friend, it could be you

G        Am C         G        Am C

G                          Am  C   G                          Am  C
There but for the grace of God,    there but for the grace of God...