[Intro]
(The song could also be played with capo 4th, and the chords C G Am F as this is how he plays it)
E B C#m A
[Verse 1]
E B C#m A
11th century AD, a king says come to war with me
E B C#m A
And never mind thou shalt not kill, we're dealing now with infidels
E B C#m A
He raises high his sword and then he charges forth with all his men
E B C#m A
And with the blessing of the papacy, in a righteous tongue he screams
[Chorus]
E B C#m A
The ends, they justify the means, my friends
E B E
Oh the ends, they justify the means
[Verse 2]
E B C#m A
They tell him a life is nothing more than a weapon in a time of war
E B C#m A
And this is the only way we've found to tear these mighty symbols down
E B C#m A
In the cockpit now he starts to steer so all the world will clearly hear
E B C#m A
These once benign flying machines shouting out of TV screens
[Chorus]
E B C#m A
The ends, they justify the means, my friends
E B E
Oh the ends, they justify the means
[Verse 3]
E B C#m A
The talking heads are shouting now, working hard to break it down
E B C#m A
Cause reasons get a little blurred when justice is a household word
E B C#m A
And as the stations ratings soar, night vision cameras watch the war
E B C#m A
While far across a veil of sea we cheer the black and flashing greens
[Chorus]
E B C#m A
The ends, they justify the means, my friends
E B E
Oh the ends, they justify the means
[Verse 4]
E B C#m A
The boss looks down upon it all from his tower’s windowed walls
E B C#m A
Says I know how to play this game and everybody knows my name
E B C#m A
He preys upon the people’s fears, tells them what they want to hear
E B C#m A
And they celebrate his victory on the front of tabloid magazines
[Chorus]
E B C#m A
The ends, they justify the means, my friends
E B E
Oh the ends, they justify the means
[Verse 5]
E B C#m A
He climbed upon a mountain high and spoke to every passerby
E B C#m A
Everyone you ever knew is really just a part of you
E B C#m A
They see the life you choose to live, and they feel the hope you choose to give
E B C#m A
And every word you ever say, you teach the world to live that way
E B C#m A
And when society had had enough, they beat him down and lifted him up
E B C#m A
They crossed his feet and raised his hands, and quietly he whispered then
[Chorus]
E B C#m A
The means, they justify the ends, my friends
E B C#m A
Oh the means, they justify the ends, my friends
E B E
Oh the means, they justify the ends
