By Rush Olson, Kevin Rothstein, Dean Pauley

Intro : G-Em-D (x4)

Verse :

G) The man in the cold white (Em) sand of the (D) old creek (G) bed

G) Probably wouldn’t believe you if you (Em) told him (D) he was (G) dead

G) The river lives again (Em) every (D) year in the (G) springtime

G) A freshwater flood to (Em) scrub away the (D) dirt of the (G) crime.

G) A cheerleader and a shortstop put this (Em) mystery (D) into the (G) ground

G) Nearly ran out of gas (Em) on the (D) way back to (G) town

G) They knew in their hearts it was (Em) something that (D) had to be (G) done

G) But that didn’t make easy (Em) and it (D) sure wasn’t (G) fun

Chorus :

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Jimmy, can you be (C) sure that (D) she won’t (G) tell? (C-D)

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Keep it ‘til April, let the (C) river flush it (D) down the (Em) well

Verse :

G) Mr. Ray taught (Em) math down at (D) Sandy’s (G) school

G) Somehow he found a way (Em) to make (D) algebra (G) cool

G) Helped somebody’s grandma to the (Em) pew every (D) single Sun(G)day

G) Yeah, every person, cat, and (Em) dog liked (D) Mr. (G) Ray

G) One day Jimmy was (Em) late to give (D) Sandy a (G) ride

G) She shivered in the rain, (Em) Mr. (D) Ray drove (G) by

G) She called Jimmy to (Em) tell him (D) she was in the (G) car

G) No need to worry, after (Em) all it’s (D) not that (G) far

Chorus :

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Jimmy, can you be (C) sure that (D) she won’t (G) tell? (C-D)

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Keep it ‘til April, let the (C) river flush it (D) down the (Em) well

Bridge :

C) Jimmy’s nervous

He’d thought as fast as he (Em) could

C) At seventeen, how could he know the rules

They (Em) don’t teach honors murder one at school

Verse :

G) How Jimmy followed them, (Em) he (D) really can’t (G) say

G) But if he hadn’t have done it, (Em) it’d have (D) been too (G) late

G) The teacher wanted his (Em) girl to take (D) off her (G) skirt

G) But Jimmy’s Smith and Wesson (Em) took his (D) head off (G) first

G)Now a year’s gone by (Em) and they’re (D) both up at (G) State

G) English majors – (Em) both (D) doing (G) great

G)The cops found a body by the (Em) dam – it was (D) Mr. (G) Ray

G) But the kids didn’t care – (Em) it was the (D) end of (G) May

Chorus (x2) :

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Jimmy, can you be (C) sure that (D) she won’t (G) tell? (C-D)

G) Sandy, how (C) long can you (D) keep a (G) secret? (C-D)

G) Keep it ‘til April, let the (C) river flush it (D) down the (Em) well

Outro : G-Em-D (x4)