E    E


[Verse 1]
             E
If you ain't hard then they won't listen
             G#m
If you ain't tough then they won't understand
             A
Cuz they're strong like white horses
B                  E
      crazy as the wind
         E
Cuz they don't know what's coming
         G#m
And they rarely choose the way that you had planned
       A
So you watch and learn from fallin
B         E
      And help 'em up if you can


[Chorus]
E
  Raisin' a rookie,
B
  Doin' the best we can
G#m
  Helpin them find their way
A
  Takes more than years to make a man
E
  Raisin' a rookie
B
  All I can do is light their road
G#m                           A
  I know its a heavy load sometimes
      F#m   G#m   A
  God knows I'm tryin'


[Verse 2]
     E
you see what makes them special
    G#m
you do everything and anything it takes
        A                             C#m
just to know that they would make it
            B                  A      B   C#m  D#m
through the trials and the heartaches


[Chorus]
E
  Raisin' a rookie,
B
  Doin' the best we can
G#m
  Helpin them find their way
A
  Takes more than years to make a man
E
  Raisin' a rookie
B
  All I can do is light their road
G#m                           A
  I know its a heavy load sometimes
      F#m   G#m   A
  God knows I'm tryin'


[Bridge]
|C#m  B  |A   E|
             oh I'm trying
|C#m  B  |E    |
|C#m  B  |A   E|
|C#m  B  |A    |


[Verse 3]
         E
And they teach you to be humble
          G#m
while the time and the worry line your face
        B                      E
and you learn how to hold your breath
E
How a desperate heart can pray


[Chorus]
E
  Raisin' a rookie,
B
  Doin' the best we can
G#m
  Helpin them find their way
A
  Takes more than years to make a man
E
  Raisin' a rookie
B
  All I can do is light their road
G#m                           A
  I know its a heavy load sometimes
      F#m   G#m   A
  God knows I'm tryin'


[Chorus]
E
  Raisin' a rookie,
B
  Doin' the best we can
G#m
  Helpin them find their way
A
  Takes more than years to make a man
E
  Raisin' a rookie
B
  All I can do is light their road
G#m                           A
  I know its a heavy load sometimes
      F#m   G#m   A (hold)
  God knows I'm tryin'


[Outro]
|E      | B   |
|C#m  B | A   |