When you are eighteen lyrics and chords by Celtic Thunder

4/4 To play along with Damian McGinty on the Celtic Thunder album ‘Storm’ use a capo on the 4th fret. The change of key in the last verse is not included.

Intro: G-D-G-A-D

When (D)you are eigh(G)teen.
You're a (A)man who is (D)ready,
Who is (G)strong and who's (D)steady,
You (Em)know what I (A)mean?
When (D)you are eigh(G)teen
Then you (A)should be re(D)spected
And you (G)don't need pro(D)tected,
When (G)you are (A)eigh(D)teen.

When (D)you are eigh(G)teen
You are (A)braver and (D)bolder
Than that (G)crowd who are (D)older,
You (Em)know what/who I (A)mean?
'Cos when (D)you are eigh(G)teen
With all those (A)years to pre(D)pare you,
There's (G)nothing can (D)scare you
When (G)you are (A)eigh(D)teen

Chorus (Change of key)
I'm (Bb)ready to travel,
To (F)follow my star
To the (Gm)places (C)I've been dreaming (F)of.
I'm (Bb)ready for living;
I'm (F)ready for life
And I (Gm)know that I'm ready for (A) love...

But when (D)you are eigh(G)teen,
They say (A)"Love's compli(D)cated
And (G)so over-(D)rated",
You (Em)know what I (A)mean?
When (D)you are eigh(G)teen,
They say (A)"Wait, and don't (D)worry",
And (G)"Hey! What's your (D)hurry
'Cos you're (G)only (A)eigh(D)teen".

Bridge: D-G-A-D   G-D-G-A-D
Chorus

When (D)you are eigh(G)teen,
With the (A)world all a(D)round you,
It can (G)sometimes as(D)tound you,
You (Em)know what I (A)mean?
Just how (D)little they (G)know,
All those (A)cowboys and (D)chancers,
I've got (G)more of the (D)answers....
And I'm (G)only (A)eigh(D)teen

This song sounds as if it's from a stage musical. Celtic Thunder preform a lot of the songs that were previously recorded by The Fureys And Davie Arthur way back in the 1970s and 80s. Songs like Steal Away, Come By The Hills Yesterday's Men and The Old Man. Most of them were written by Phil Coulter who does a lot of work with Celtic Thunder.